Goodwill Wine producer David Laity and Wesburn Millgrove CFA volunteer Tony Lewis at the Sam Knott Hotel, which is selling the wine. 58309
By Mara Pattison-Sowden
SOME of the top wineries in the Yarra Valley, and from across Australia, are backing a new wine fundraiser that is supporting local and national charities.
The Goodwill Wine label grew out of the Black Saturday Bushfires as a means to give back to the community.
Goodwill Wine owners David Laity and Ali Rees source high quality wine from well-known wineries and sell it for half the price with 50 per cent, or a minimum of $20 per case, going towards the buyer’s nominated charity.
“We thought if we could find good wine we could support a lot of organisations,” Mr Laity said.
After losing all their possessions in a Chum Creek rental property, Mr Laity said they took part in a small business course and used funding from the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal to start giving back to those who had helped them.
“We were grateful to be alive and had no idea of the overwhelming support that would be provided,” he said.
Goodwill Wines is mainly online, but some of the Yarra Valley’s top licensed cafes and restaurants are supporting the fundraiser too.
Wesburn’s Sam Knott Hotel has been taking part for almost a month, and not only are the locals loving the wine, but the hotel has raised more than $120 for the Millgrove-Wesburn CFA.
Healesville’s Mocha and Lime are supporting the Healesville Music Festival, Wild Thyme Cafe is supporting the Warburton CFA and national group Animals Australia sold 70 cases of wine in two weeks with a much-needed $1400 going to the charity.
Goodwill Wines has been running for eight months and has just broken even for two months running.
Running the fundraiser from home in Toolangi, Mr Laity said they were getting a lot of support from the vineyards.
“After bottling but before labelling they set aside a few bottles for us,” he said. “We started in the valley but now we’re getting contacted by wineries around Australia.”
Mr Laity said the winemakers had their own personal stories and reasons to support Goodwill Wines.
“These supporters are buying wine and coming back because it’s good value,” he said.
Mr Laity said a local wine bar’s owners did a blind tasting with the Goodwill Wine and their own brand.
“They decided what was best and they picked ours over their own wine,” he said.
“Not only is it cheaper for them to buy our wine – it’s better, and 50 per cent goes to charity.”
Check out the good work being done at www.goodwillwine.com.au.
