EJ McDougall

Written By Angus Hughson

EJ McDougall

One of the most impressive entrepreneurs in the Australian wine industry is Brisbane-educated Edward James McDougall, who further studied winemaking and viticulture at Dookie College, Australia’s second oldest agricultural College and a scion of the University of Melbourne.  Ambitious, energetic and resourceful ‘Eddie’, as he is best known, has built a remarkable business under his Flying Winemaker moniker. A graduate of the school of hard knocks (which must include the notoriously demanding Len Evans Tutorial (2013) he has learned to navigate the international wine market with remarkable effectiveness, optimism and success. His stamping grounds have been New Zealand, South Africa and Australia where he has developed relationships with vineyard owners and winemakers to build his Flying Winemaker Collection and lately his EJ McDougall label; the latter being a new venture that highlights the best of Australian regional provenance.

Nowadays based with his young family in Macau, Eddie McDougall, has established an impressive footprint across Mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong while also having effective networks in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Seemingly everywhere at the same time, his name has become synonymous with a ‘Can Do’ attitude that transcends borders. Having worked in winemaking across Australia, Mainland China, Italy, France, New Zealand, and Hong Kong (where he set up the city’s first urban winery), he has carved out an almost unique leadership role in the world of wine. As Chairman of the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards and a judge at the Decanter Wine Awards, Eddie’s fingers are on the pulse in a way that few people attain. Participation, support and engagement seem to be a natural and lasting way of building relationships. I can only think of Michael Hill Smith AM MW, within the Australian arena, who has achieved such a wide breath of skills and contacts in the world of wine. So why then would it be such as surprise that his latest releases under the EJ McDougall label are so good? These debut wines highlight authenticity and typicity while being 100% in the groove of customer expectations and relatability.

The 2024 EJ McDougall Chardonnay, from the Margaret River, is a model example of great vineyard sourcing, empathetic winemaking and classicism. With its superb definition, texture and volume it personifies the very best features of the highly prized Gingin clone and Margaret River provenance. It shows what can be done with a great team, resourcefulness and focus. In addition, the McLaren Vale Grenache and Shiraz wines further highlight benchmark winemaking skills. Grenache is enjoying a new status as ‘warm climate pinot noir’; the aromas and textures can be similar, but grenache tends to be quite punchy on account of pronounced alcohol. Nonetheless the impactful 2023 EJ McDougall Grenache pulsates with energy and purity while showing density, viscosity and flow. The alcohol kicks in at the end, as one would expect, but the aniseed notes lengthen the finish. While not for long-term keeping it is simply delicious to drink. The 2023 EJ McDougall Shiraz is a classical McLaren Vale style that opens best when decanted. A touch of reduction blows off quickly to reveal intense pure dark chocolate black berry flavours, pleasing mid-palate volume and firm vigorous tannins.

2024 EJ McDougall Chardonnay Margaret River – Western Australia

Pale colour. Beautiful and classical grapefruit, nectarine, pear skin aromas with marzipan toasted chestnut notes. Richly flavoured and creamy with ample grapefruit, nectarine, yellow peach flavours, fine loose knit chalky al dente textures, superb mid palate volume and fresh long indelible acidity. Classic in structure with lovely volume, mineral freshness and torque. Drink now – 2030 13.8% alc 97 points

2023 EJ McDougall Grenache, McLaren Vale - South Australia

Medium deep colour. Fresh strawberry pastille, red cherry, chinotto/ cola aromas with roasted walnut nuances. Generous, supple and linear with strawberry, red cherry, cranberry fruits, underlying chinotto notes, lacy/chalky/ graphite tannins, superb viscosity and long negroni- like finish. Builds gravelly and long at the finish. Lovely wine. Drink now – 2032 14.5%alc 96 points

2023 EJ McDougall Old Vine Shiraz, McLaren Vale – South Australia

Deep crimson. Intense choco-berry fruits with flinty black olive notes. Well concentrated fleshy and grippy with ample dark chocolate, blackberry, dark cherry, hint tobacco leaf flavours, grainy firm, touch ferruginous tannins and underlying marzipan notes. Claret like finish. Decant before drinking to blow off slight reduction. 1939 vines. Drink now – 2035 14.5% alc 94 points

Angus Hughson
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