From the Surf Van to the Vineyard
Ben and Naomi Gould's journey began in 2007, living in an old red builder's van, chasing surf breaks and wine regions across Europe. When they rolled home to Margaret River, they sold their house, bought a tiny 4-hectare block in Wilyabrup, and started making wild, honest wines in a shed. The natural wine styles they produced had never been seen in Margaret River before — pét-nats, orange wines, qvevri-aged reds — and were polarising for the local industry. "We have no illusions that we're going to make trophy-winning wines," Ben said. "We're certainly going to try our very best to make something reflective of where we grow our grapes." Fast forward a few harvests, a couple of kids, and one very cheeky cat later, and Blind Corner now farms 20 hectares of certified organic and biodynamic vineyard at Quindalup, surrounded by bushland and flanked by the Indian Ocean. They grafted Aligoté — a Margaret River first — and a Brunello clone of Sangiovese onto established rootstock. They buried two Georgian qvevri in the bushland. They built a concrete egg they call "Boonie." They run the property on solar power and homemade biodiesel from the local fish and chip shop. They have chooks roaming the vineyard and bees for pollination and honey. They now brew their own organic beer onsite for Bar Nature. This is not your typical Margaret River producer. This is something else entirely.
A Surf Trip, A House Sale & A Dream
Ben Gould grew up in Margaret River — his father owned the Deep Woods vineyard in Yallingup. But when the family property was sold in 2005, Ben and his wife Naomi found themselves at a crossroads. They chose to sell their house, put everything on red, and fund the purchase of a small four-hectare vineyard at Wilyabrup. It was a gamble — the vineyard needed to be weaned off irrigation and chemicals, and the couple had limited resources. While the land was being converted, they took off to Europe in an old red builder's van, chasing surf breaks and visiting storied wine regions. That trip would change everything.
Before leaving Margaret River, Ben had already developed a strong interest in organic viticulture. The European trip armour-plated that passion — visiting growers who farmed without chemicals, who made wine with wild yeasts, who trusted the land rather than forcing it into submission. Upon his return, Ben took a job at Howard Park Wines while he bootstrapped his fledgling estate together. He did much of the work himself, borrowing what he could, and fixing up old, dilapidated equipment that would have been impossible to buy new. The first years were a trial by fire — working two jobs, leasing parcels to supplement his small yields, and learning by doing.
The wines he made in that shed were unlike anything Margaret River had seen. Pét-nats, orange wines, wild-fermented reds — the local industry was polarised. "Ben very few fans amongst the local wineries," one observer noted. But the wines found an audience. People who cared about flavour over fuss, about honesty over polish. By 2015, tired of seeing vineyards he'd been working organically sold from under him, the Goulds took the plunge on an established 30-hectare property at Quindalup — 19km northeast of Wilyabrup, surrounded on three sides by the ocean. They converted it to organic and biodynamic, grafted new varieties onto old rootstock, and never looked back.
"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
Quindalup — Ocean, Sand & Granite
The Quindalup property is 30 hectares, with 18 hectares under vine amid native bushland. It lies on the coastal flats, flanked by the Indian Ocean four kilometres to the north and eight kilometres to the west. The sandy soils have pea gravel (seven to ten metres deep) over porous coffee rock and ironstone (25 metres) above a granite base. This is not the heavy clay of the Margaret River heartland — this is lighter, freer-draining, and distinctly maritime in character. The cooling influence of the ocean moderates temperatures, and the bushland surrounding the vineyard creates a biodiverse ecosystem that Ben and Naomi have actively encouraged.
The Goulds have created a harmonious ecosystem on the property. Native flora and fauna are encouraged back onto the land. Gaps between the vines are planted with native shrubs or transplanted evergreens to promote diversity. Chooks roam the vineyard, eating pests and fertilising the soil. Bees provide pollination and honey. Cover crops grow up to seven metres tall before being crimped back into the soil. A finger weeder is used for all under-vine work to promote soil health. Most of the vines are dry-grown. The property runs on solar power, supplemented by homemade biodiesel from the local fish and chip shop.
The vineyard is fully certified organic and biodynamic — one of only five in the Margaret River region to hold both certifications (alongside Cullen Wines, Settlers Ridge, and others). The Wilyabrup site was certified in 2016, Quindalup in 2017, and a Yallingup vineyard joined in 2018. Ben and Naomi have since streamlined their operation, selling Wilyabrup and giving up leased properties to focus solely on the home site. The Quindalup vineyard is now the beating heart of Blind Corner — a living, breathing example of what happens when you farm with patience, chaos, and a deep respect for the land.
30-hectare property, 18 hectares under vine. Sandy soils with pea gravel over coffee rock and ironstone above granite. Flanked by the Indian Ocean. Surrounded by native bushland. Certified organic and biodynamic. Dry-grown vines. Solar-powered. Biodiesel from the local fish and chip shop.
Chooks roam the vineyard. Bees for pollination and honey. Cover crops grow to seven metres before crimping. Native flora transplanted between vines. Finger weeder for under-vine work. Everything designed to promote biodiversity, soil health, and a self-sustaining farm.
Grafted Aligoté onto established rootstock — a Margaret River first. Brunello clone of Sangiovese. Pinot Grigio. These varieties add acidity, freshness, and complexity to the range. Where most would add acid to tighten Chardonnay, Ben uses Aligoté — a variety that holds its freshness under the Margaret River sun.
Two Georgian qvevri buried onsite in the bushland — traditional clay vessels for fermenting and ageing wine. A concrete egg affectionately called "Boonie." Old basket presses. A salvaged and refurbished bladder press. Simple flowerpot fermenters. Not a skerrick of new wood. This is a shed stripped back to bare essentials.
Anti-Manipulation, Pro-Expression
Ben Gould is fervently anti-manipulation. Save for a little sulphur at bottling, he leaves the other 57 legal additions to his neighbours. The region's infamous mobile concentrators have no place at Blind Corner. The winemaking is simple in its sophistication: hand-picked grapes, wild yeasts, foot crushing, basket pressing, and a range of vessels that includes concrete eggs, old barrels, stainless steel tanks, and buried qvevri. Everything is done in-house — Ben and Naomi run the vineyard, make the wines, look after the books, and bottle each wine on-site using a beloved second-hand bottling machine that has seen more vintages than most.
The techniques are eclectic and deliberately old-world. Appassimento — air-drying fruit before fermentation, inspired by Valpolicella — is used for the Bernard Cabernet. Carbonic maceration at 5°C for two weeks gives the Nouveau its juicy, lip-smacking character. Ramato — the Venetian technique of extended skin contact for Pinot Grigio — creates an orange-pink wine of extraordinary texture. Ripasso — passing wine over dried grapes — intensifies flavours and softens structure. These are not typical Margaret River techniques. They are Italian, Georgian, ancient — and they work because Ben understands that great wine comes from great farming, not from gadgets.
The result is a range that is "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. The Blanc — Ben's riff on the Margaret River Classic Dry White — replaces 'classic' with 'delicious.' The Ørange in Colour is a blend of all the white blocks on the vineyard: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Semillon, and Aligoté. The Quindalup Cabernet employs appassimento for a sappy, spicy, nettle and wild berry-noted wine from left field. The Nouveau is a compulsively drinkable light red made from 20-plus-year-old Shiraz vines. There is a core of energy and bohemian spirit running through everything Blind Corner makes.
The Aligoté Revolution
When Ben Gould grafted Aligoté onto established rootstock at Quindalup, he became the first person to plant this Burgundian variety in Margaret River — possibly in all of Western Australia. Aligoté is the "other" white grape of Burgundy, known for its high acidity and citrus character. In Margaret River, where Chardonnay can become rich and heavy, Aligoté provides a refreshing counterpoint. Ben uses it not just as a standalone variety but as a blending component — a natural acidifier that eliminates the need for chemical adjustments. "Where most would add acid to tighten up their Chardonnay, Gould uses Aligoté, a variety that holds its freshness under the Margaret River sun." This is not just clever winemaking; it is a statement of philosophy — that the solution to a problem should come from the vineyard, not from a laboratory.
Pioneers, Progressives & Bar Nature
Blind Corner has been a pioneer in the Margaret River region, introducing natural wine styles and varieties that had never been seen locally. The pét-nats, orange wines, qvevri-aged reds, and appassimento Cabs were polarising at first — "Ben very few fans amongst the local wineries." But over time, the industry caught up. The consumers caught on. And Blind Corner became a beacon for those who believed that Margaret River could be more than just Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon — that it could be wild, honest, and diverse.
The evolution continues. Blind Corner now brews its own organic beer onsite for Bar Nature — a summer pop-up bar open from Christmas to Easter, ten minutes from Dunsborough. "Bar Nature's where our homegrown brews and Blind Corner wines meet a lineup of fancy local and imported snacks. We make the beer, grow the grapes, and chase down the good stuff to nibble on between sips. It's organic, relaxed, and made for people who care more about flavour than fuss." The cellar door — open by appointment — offers intimate tastings, often with Hunter the dog and a very cheeky cat as hosts. The atmosphere is calm, relaxed, and welcoming to families.
Ben and Naomi have two children, and the property is very much a family affair. The kids play in the vineyard. The chooks lay eggs. The bees make honey. The cat causes chaos. This is not a corporate winery with a marketing department — this is a family farm that happens to make extraordinary wine. "Drink naturally. Eat well. Stay wild." is the motto. And it is lived every day — in the vineyard, in the shed, in the cellar door, and at Bar Nature.
"Drink naturally. Eat well. Stay wild."
— Blind Corner
The Blind Corner Range
Blind Corner produces approximately 1,100 dozen bottles annually across a range that spans white blends, skin-contact oranges, light reds, serious reds, and experimental Italian-inspired wines. All are made with certified organic and biodynamic fruit from the Quindalup vineyard, using wild yeasts, minimal sulfur, and a variety of techniques from carbonic maceration to appassimento to qvevri ageing. The wines are bottled on-site, unfined and unfiltered where possible, and priced with outstanding value in mind. This is not trophy-winning wine in the traditional sense; this is honest, reflective, deeply drinkable wine that captures the spirit of a family living their dream.