Let's talk about our best discovery of 2020 – Doug Woodward’s Wedded To The Weather. This pint-sized producer makes a tiny amount of wine per year, but my oh my are we into them. Initially doing his winemaking in a winery in Granite Belt, Queensland, Doug has shifted his production to his home, judiciously carrying 10 kilogram buckets of grapes through his house and into the winery behind his house in Brisbane. It’s an unusual set up, but it all works a treat.
Fruit comes from organic and biodynamic vineyards; the winemaking is deft, focusing on bright flavours but generosity of fruit. His unusual mix of grapes includes lagrein, saperavi, montepulciano, vermentino, nebbiolo, tempranillo and aglianico – these varieties either stand alone or are blended for personality. All this results in an array of juicy, vibrant reds, but perhaps the greatest coup are his (red) pet nats that Doug releases with unnerving quality and consistency. Likewise, his fabled orange wine from the obscure Portuguese variety fernao pires is the stuff of legends. And hello, piquettes! While not *technically* wine (they're made from grape pomace and water and a super mindful/sustainable way to use all the grape parts) piquettes are a refreshing, delicious low-abv option.
Quality is a by-word here, so is fun, so is experimentation, and so is ‘drinkability’. These are a coup for how good they are for the bucks. As natural as it gets, but done righteously. And we love supporting the truly tiny producers in their endeavours. These are the ultimate mid-week, pizza night, pasta throw down, drink at 2am wines. Drink them all with a good chill for good measure.
