Ben and Naomi Gould’s Rouge is a blend of Quindalup Shiraz (45%), Cabernet Sauvignon (44%) and a healthy dollop of Merlot (11%), with less than 60ppm SO2 as the only addition. This year, all the fruit came from the Goulds’ organic- and biodynamic-certified Quindalup vineyard. The site has sandy soils over pea gravel with a granite base.
The fruit was picked by hand and fermented in open pots. The cap was hand-plunged daily, and the wine was pressed to French barriques after fermentation. It rested for nine months before blending and bottling. At this price point, Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot deliver something greater than the sum of their parts. This is not lost on Ben Gould, who takes the rich upfront flavour and lingering aftertaste of Margaret River Cabernet, weaves in the silky spice of Shiraz and adds a splash of vibrant, plummy Merlot to create this delicious, great-value organic wine.