The launch in Singapore next week of The Flying Winemaker (TFW) fine wine Legacy Series labelled – simply – E. J. McDougall, is a testament to the vision of TFW founder Eddie McDougall. The launch takes place at the Shangri-La hotel as part of the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter global series. Here, his new releases will sit alongside labels including Cloudy Bay, Penfolds, Vasse Felix and Château Lafite: illustrious company indeed.
Yet this launch also represents something very real about Eddie’s personal wine journey. He shares how it takes a long time to build up not only knowledge but credibility. Developing deep relationships with vineyard owners and wine estates (as well as associations, opinion makers and so on) – can take many years. But as that trust builds, so does access to premium fruit and top-notch processing facilities, which is what Eddie now has. He is now ready to put his own name on a label. It is a great moment.
The range currently comprises three fine Australian wines, created in two particular regions which Eddie personally ranks very highly: Margaret River in Western Australia, and McLaren Vale in South Australia. He compares them to some of the best terroirs in the world.
Chardonnay 2024, Margaret River. Full-bodied with great fruit concentration (along a spectrum from citrus to fig) and integrated new oak for extra power and complexity.
Grenache 2023, McLaren Vale. A sophisticated, layered and fruit-driven, high-energy grape expression, with generous red fruit and Mediterranean wild herb aromatics.
Shiraz 2023, McLaren Vale. It perfectly delivers the region’s signature olive, liquorice and black plum characteristics, with large oak formats delivering a very attractive tannin profile. This one is particularly suitable for the cellar, too.
Eddie explains that if TFW wines are for everyday drinking, including by-the-glass, E. J. McDougall are serious wines for more serious occasions, and suitable for ageing too. The winemaking philosophy for the Legacy Series is deeply respectful of the precise conditions of the vintage, and the unique characteristics of each piece of terroir. They are his grown-up wines! That said, his core belief is that wine is designed to be shared at the dining table: a centuries-long tradition that brings people together, and creates community.
Eddie’s maternal grandmother nicknamed him Little Pig (豬仔記) in his youth, and it is the name he has given to his lively, charming Margaret River rosé: Eddie McDougall’s Little Pig – and long may he continue to market this label. But from today he also answers to: E. J. McDougall.
WORDS: ANNABEL JACKSON