Drink Naturally. Eat Well. Stay Wild.
Blind Corner is one of Margaret River's most distinctive and beloved organic estates — a certified organic and biodynamic vineyard and winery run by Ben and Naomi Gould on 30 hectares in Quindalup, just four kilometres from the Indian Ocean. What began in 2005 as a 4-hectare experiment in a shed — with wild, honest wines that polarised the local industry — has grown into a 20-hectare vineyard operation that combines old-world techniques with new-world innovation. The wines are preservative-free, minimal-intervention, and made with nothing but patience and a bit of chaos. The property is solar-powered, the vines are mostly dry-grown, and the cellar door — Bar Nature — serves organic beer brewed on-site alongside the wines. This is not just another Margaret River producer. This is Blind Corner [^52^][^58^][^68^].
From Deep Woods to a Red Builder's Van
Ben Gould's wine story began at Deep Woods Estate in Yallingup — the family vineyard founded by his father in 1997, where Ben worked alongside his brother learning the craft of winemaking. But when the family sold Deep Woods in 2005, Ben and his wife Naomi made a radical decision: they sold their house and bought a tiny 4-hectare vineyard at Wilyabrup, determined to farm organically and make wine their own way [^54^][^62^][^73^].
While their new patch of dirt was being weaned off irrigation and chemicals, the pair took off to Europe in an old red builder's van, chasing surf breaks and wine regions across the continent. The experience was transformative — visiting storied organic and biodynamic estates in France, Italy, and beyond armour-plated Ben's passion for natural viticulture. Upon returning to Margaret River, Ben took a job at Howard Park Wines while bootstrapping Blind Corner in his spare time, doing much of the work himself, borrowing equipment, and fixing up old, dilapidated machinery that would have been impossible to buy new [^52^][^56^][^73^].
The first years were a trial by fire. Ben worked two jobs, farmed leased parcels to supplement his small yields, and made wines in a shed that the local industry found polarising — wild, honest, and unlike anything Margaret River had seen before. But the wines found their audience. By 2015, tired of seeing vineyards he'd been working organically sold from under him, the Goulds took the plunge on a 30-hectare property at Quindalup, 19km northeast of Wilyabrup. They immediately began converting the previously conventional vineyard to organic and biodynamic practices. The Wilyabrup site was certified in 2016; Quindalup followed in 2017. Today, the Goulds have streamlined their operation, selling Wilyabrup and focusing solely on the home site — surrounded by bushland, flanked by the ocean, and humming with life [^52^][^56^][^73^].
"We have no illusions that we're going to make trophy-winning wines or the best wines in Western Australia. We're certainly going to try our very best to make something reflective of where we grow our grapes, and while we don't always get things spot-on, we're proud to pour our wines to good people."
— Ben Gould
Coastal Sands, Solar Power & Biodynamic Life
The Blind Corner property lies on the coastal flats of Quindalup, flanked by the Indian Ocean four kilometres to the north and eight kilometres to the west. The soils are sandy, with pea gravel (seven to ten metres deep) over porous coffee rock and ironstone (25 metres) underneath. This free-draining profile is ideal for dry-grown vines — most of the vineyard receives no irrigation — and gives the wines a distinct mineral freshness and coastal character that is rare in Margaret River [^56^][^73^].
Ben and Naomi farm with strict organic and biodynamic principles. Cover crops grow up to seven metres tall before being crimped, building soil organic matter and promoting biodiversity. A finger weeder handles all under-vine work, eliminating the need for herbicides. The property is run on solar power, and Ben even uses homemade biodiesel — sourced from the local fish and chip shop — to supplement energy needs. Warre beehives, random animals, kangaroos, and abundant birdlife share the land with the vines. This is not monoculture; it is a living ecosystem [^56^][^58^].
Since purchasing the Quindalup property, Ben has grafted over portions of established rootstock to lesser-sung varieties — Aligoté (a Margaret River first), Pinot Grigio, and a Brunello clone of Sangiovese. These varieties bring freshness, acidity, and alternative expressions to a region dominated by Cabernet and Chardonnay. The vineyard is certified organic and biodynamic, one of only a handful in Margaret River to hold both certifications in the vineyard and the winery [^54^][^56^].
The 30-hectare property sits on sandy coastal flats just 4km from the Indian Ocean. Soils are sand over pea gravel (7–10m) with porous coffee rock and ironstone beneath (25m). This free-draining profile forces vines to dig deep, concentrates flavours, and imparts a distinct saline, mineral freshness to the wines.
One of only five wineries in Margaret River certified organic in both vineyard and winery. Biodynamic preparations enhance soil life and vine resilience. Cover crops grow to 7 metres before crimping. Finger weeding eliminates herbicides. The goal is not just clean farming but a self-sustaining ecosystem.
The entire property runs on solar power. Ben supplements energy needs with homemade biodiesel from the local fish and chip shop. This is not greenwashing — it is a genuine commitment to reducing the farm's footprint. The winery, cellar door, and Bar Nature all operate with renewable energy.
Most vines are dry-grown — no irrigation, forcing roots deep into the coffee rock and ironstone. Ben has grafted Aligoté (a Margaret River first), Pinot Grigio, and Brunello-clone Sangiovese onto existing rootstock. These varieties bring acidity, freshness, and new possibilities to the region's wine identity.
Anti-Manipulation, Preservative-Free & Proud
Ben Gould is fervently anti-manipulation. In the cellar, save for a small amount of sulfur at bottling, he leaves the other 57 legal additions to his neighbours. No acid additions. No fining agents. No mobile concentrators — those infamous machines that have no place in this little corner of Margaret River. The winemaking is simple in its sophistication: wild fermentation, gentle handling, and a wide range of vessels including concrete eggs, old barrels, stainless steel tanks, and qvevri [^56^][^73^].
Where most Margaret River producers would add acid to tighten up their Chardonnay, Ben uses Aligoté — a variety that holds its natural freshness under the Margaret River sun. This is clever, creative problem-solving: working with the vineyard, not against it. The shed is stripped back to bare essentials — a basket press, a salvaged bladder press, simple flowerpot fermenters, and a beloved second-hand bottling machine that has seen more vintages than most producers have had hot dinners [^56^].
The wines are preservative-free — no added sulfur dioxide. This demands absolute cleanliness in the vineyard and winery, because there are no chemical safety nets. But the result is wine that is alive, digestible, and profoundly drinkable. There is a core of energy and bohemian spirit running through the entire range — you can almost taste the passion of down-to-earth, talented growers living out their dream [^52^][^73^].
Bar Nature — Beer, Wine & Good Vibes
Blind Corner's cellar door is Bar Nature — a relaxed, organic space where homegrown brews meet Blind Corner wines and a lineup of fancy local and imported snacks. Ben now brews organic beer on-site, adding another dimension to the farm's fermentation philosophy. The bar is open seasonally (Christmas to Easter) and has become a destination for locals and visitors seeking something different from the polished, corporate cellar doors that dominate the region. Dogs welcome. Kids welcome. Good people welcome. Drink naturally. Eat well. Stay wild.
A Margaret River Avant-Gardist
Blind Corner sits in a cohort of avant-garde Western Australian wineries — alongside Si Vintners, Corymbia, and others — that are redefining what Margaret River can be. Ben and Naomi are part of a movement that values vineyard health, minimal intervention, and honest pricing over trophy-chasing and point-scoring. Their wines are not made for competitions; they are made for good people, good food, and good times [^58^].
The Goulds are deeply aware of the challenges facing the next generation of producers. Land prices in Margaret River are making ownership increasingly out of reach for young growers, forcing many to lease rather than own. Climate change is bringing more summer storms, extreme weather events, and unpredictable patterns that test even experienced farmers. Ben's response is pragmatic: continue doing the one-percenters — the little things that add value to vineyard and fruit quality, year after year. Drought-resistant varieties, adaptive farming, and a commitment to the long game [^58^].
The Blind Corner Wine Club is the Goulds' way of building community. Members receive four of the best certified organic and biodynamic bottles twice a year for $109, plus member pricing on all other items. It's an easy way to feel like you've got vineyard dirt under your fingernails without the actual toil. The club embodies the Blind Corner ethos: drink less, drink better, and support growers who are doing things the right way [^68^].
"There's a core of energy and bohemian spirit running the length of Blind Corner's eclectic range, making the wines so damn digestible, delicious, unpretentious and easy to drink. You can almost taste the passion of down-to-earth, talented growers living out their dream."
— Bibendum Wine Co.
The Blind Corner Range
All wines are made from certified organic and biodynamic grapes grown on the Quindalup property. Minimal intervention in the cellar — wild fermentation, no acid additions, no fining, preservative-free. The range spans classic Margaret River varieties (Cabernet, Chardonnay) alongside alternative expressions (Nouveau Shiraz, Orange blends, Aligoté, Sangiovese) that showcase Ben's creative, anti-establishment approach. Outstanding value across the board [^56^][^73^][^74^].