Lowestoft

Originally planted in 1986, the grapes are some of the most sought after in Tasmania.

Due to the small size of the Lowestoft vineyard, they are progressively sourcing the best parcels of fruit from select growers spread across different subregions, including the Huon Valley, Derwent Valley, Coal River Valley and Tamar Valley. The Lowestoft homestead is one of Tasmania’s oldest, built between 1839 and 1850. This magnificent property is located on the banks of the picturesque Derwent River and overlooks the renowned Mona Museum and art gallery and Moorilla Winery. The Lowestoft vineyard is a small densely planted (8,300 vines per hectare) 3-hectare vineyard with some of the oldest Pinot Noir plantings in Tasmania. They have also planted two new vineyards of our own at Strelley Farm (Richmond) adjacent to the Coal River Valley, and Gilling Brook (Forcett) to the east of Strelley Farm. Both vineyards have north, north-east facing sites with outstanding soil profiles and abundant water – critical in the Coal River Valley where the rainfall is low at only 300–500mm per annum.

The range initially comprises three Pinot Noirs: Lowestoft Best Barrels Pinot Noir, a blend of the best barrels from select vineyards including Lowestoft; Lowestoft Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, from a single block, small vineyard on the east coast; and Lowestoft La Maison Pinot Noir, produced from 100% Lowestoft fruit. The Chardonnay is produced from the best barrels of selected growers’ fruit but over time will also include the best fruit from our Strelley Farm and Gilling Brook vineyards.

The first member of the Fogarty family to emigrate from Ireland arrived in Tasmania in the mid-1800s. Six generations later, the Fogarty family has returned to its Tasmanian roots with the purchase of the historical Lowestoft homestead and adjoining vineyard near Hobart – overlooking David Walsh’s Mona Museum and Moorilla Winery and Lowestoft Bay on the Derwent River. Lowestoft was built circa 1850 on land acquired by Thomas Lowes in 1830. He arrived in Hobart from England as a free settler on the ship Thalia in 1823 and planned to establish the first distillery but on arrival found others were already in production. However, Lowes later erected a distillery and malt house, became a politician and also had connections in banking, horse racing and cricket. He was known to entertain and hold large events at the Lowestoft homestead. Lowes was one of the first to plant vines in or near Hobart and in 1848 won first prize at the Hobart Horticultural Society Show for two wines he produced near Lowestoft.