David Lowe’s Wine School classes kicked off last Friday. Lowe says that the 90-minute sessions are designed to provide ‘‘an entertaining, no nonsense, hands-on approach to learning the basics of making and tasting wine’’. Lowe makes wine at Mudgee and is keen to increase knowledge about the wines from the region and the winder industry. He explains grape growing, winemaking techniques, and what to look for in different varieties, featuring his zinfandel among other wines. Some wines are tasted blind and benchmarked against identified wines, giving you a chance to test your wine appreciation skills. At Mudgee on August 16, and each Wednesday in September, 5.30pm, $45, (02) 6372 0800.