The Adelaide Hills has a new star in its constellation of much-loved wineries; Willow and Goose has launched and is now selling its first bottles at local venues.
You can find the new brand at the Uraidla Hotel, Lost In A Forest, Lobethal Bierhaus, and the Hügel Wine Bar as part of its first drop.
The Lobethal winery, run from a beautiful barn-style shed, was built by founder Jack Wilson in place of what was once his family home, a spot devastated by the Cudlee Creek bushfire in 2019. Rising from the ashes, Willow and Goose seeks to create something meaningful for the Wilson’s after the family lost so much.
“For me, this label is much more than a business venture, but my home, tragically lost, in a bottle,” Wilson says.
“It would be really sad if we did nothing with the family block, so it’s good something is growing out everything that has happened.”
The debut bottles of pinot, which is made with neighbour Golding Wines’ grapes, will be “bright and fruit-driven,” a youthful, nontraditional taste that will be perfect for an “adventurous, camp-loving crowd” who are looking for something different than stock-standard wines. The second bottle of wine will be a shiraz and will likely be bottled next year.
The winery that was conceptualised from loss now seeks to help others in need: Portions of the Willow and Goose proceeds will go to OpBlue, Wilson’s own charity that’s dedicated to providing relief to those effected by the clean water crisis in Kenya. Wilson describes the partnership as a “wine for water campaign.”
The charitable winery not only seeks to produce quality wine and help many in Kenya, but it will also create something new from a land and for a family that lost their home in the bushfire.
“In a way, this venture has been a great distraction for me, keeping me busy when everything happened,” Wilson says.
“I poured a lot of money into it, and seeing it now makes it all worth it, really. My family is really happy and supportive.”
Going forward, Wilson considers making the new barn shed into a cellar door, but to start, Willow and Goose will operate online.
To support the Adelaide Hills small batch business, follow along on their website and Instagram.
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