World Intellectual Property Day, World Seagrass Day, World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, World Soils Day . . . all true.

World Toilet Day? I kid you not.

So, drumroll please . . . November 17 is World Zinfandel Day.

So, what better time to take a look at this full-bodied red wine variety best associated with Sonoma in California.

In Australia no-one has championed 'zin' more than David Lowe at his organic and biodynamic Mudgee set-up, and with great success.

Zinfandel, also known as primitivo, is not only the flagship of his eponymous winery, but has twice won the trophy for Best Zinfandel at the International Wine Challenge in London.

In 1997 Lowe spent a vintage in California where he first experienced zinfandel at its best - and it was a game changer. The generosity of flavour won him over - and still does to this day.

He probably knows more about the variety that any other Australian winemaker, but it's a love-hate relationship.

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"Pinot noir growers are supposed to be a hardy bunch, but let me tell you, pinot growers are pussies compared to this grape," he says, breaking into a laugh.

"You can't stop keeping an eye on it and you've got to throw your shiraz and cabernet rulebook out the window. This is very different.

"Zinfandel produces these big yields - two or even three crops a season - and your fruit will lose all its intensity and flavour if you let it go.

"You get these huge, tightly knit bunches, 10 or 12 times the size of a shiraz bunch ... up to maybe a kilo-and-a-half in weight each.

"And you can't grow it on a trellis either ... they have to grow naturally because the leaves act as sun protection for the grapes.

"Really, you've got to treat zinfandel badly to have any luck with it. You've got to be mean.

"It's one of the hardest varieties from my experience to make well.

"You're probably best to go in with low expectations and then be overjoyed when you get it right."

And when you do get it right?

"You get power, but it's soft with a long, interesting aftertaste. There's a bit of Christmas cake flavour, very dark cherries, prunes and often this distinctive olive tapenade flavour. It reminds me a bit of the finest Spanish riojas.

"It's a bit like grenache in that it's a fruit bomb that needs four to five years in the bottle.

"I'd say the sweet spot is from four to seven years, but the very best will get to 10 years and above."

If you haven't crossed paths with zin, you're missing something - as opposed to say, World Hepatitis Day.