It’s never been easier to find organic, vegan and sustainably made wines that taste good and don’t come with a hefty price tag.
What was once a niche corner of the bottle shop is now a growing part of the wine industry, with more Australian producers choosing to farm with fewer chemicals, work more closely with their local environment, and rethink what goes into the bottle and how it gets to you.
Before we get into our favourite brands, it’s worth clearing up what these labels really mean. They’re often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing.
Organic
Organic winegrowing means that synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers are not used in the vineyard. Certification is provided by an independent third-party organisation. In Australia, we have two main certifying bodies that most winegrowers will use to prove that their wine is organic. These are Australian Certified Organic (ACO) and the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia (NASAA). If a wine is certified, you’ll usually see the logo on the label.
Vegan
Most wines go through a clarification process called fining. Traditional fining agents include egg whites, milk proteins, gelatin and fish bladders. Vegan wines avoid these and instead use mineral-based alternatives like bentonite clay, or they are left unfined and unfiltered.
Natural
Natural wine is made with minimal intervention in the winery. That means no added preservatives, enzymes or processing aids. It’s similar to organic in philosophy, but without the formal certification, which can be an expensive process for small growers.
Sustainable
Sustainable winemaking looks at the bigger picture. It includes how grapes are grown, how energy and water are used, how waste is handled, how soil is cared for, and increasingly, how packaging and transport impact emissions. Australia and New Zealand both have national sustainability programs that many growers now work under. Taking it a step further, more brands are looking at ways they can reduce their carbon footprint with lower-impact packaging and carbon-neutral shipping.
Biodynamic
Biodynamic wine is also organic, but takes things a step further. Vineyard work follows a lunar and astrological calendar, with planting, pruning and harvesting timed to these natural cycles. It’s equal parts farming method and philosophy.
Here are a few of our favourite organic, vegan and sustainably made wine brands that don’t cost the earth.
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1. Tamburlaine Organic
Tamburlaine is a Hunter Valley winery that’s been around since the 1960s and is now one of Australia’s largest producers of certified organic wine. Their range covers reds, whites and sparkling, and it’s all vegan-friendly.
3. Kalleske
Kalleske’s wines come from a deep respect for land that’s been farmed by the same family for generations. They’re certified organic and biodynamic, with a real focus on improving soil health and long-term vineyard resilience. The Moppa Shiraz is *chef’s kiss*, but the entire range reflects their low-impact, thoughtful approach to winemaking.
4. Temple Bruer
Temple Bruer is one of the few Australian wineries that is both 100% certified organic and carbon neutral. They measure emissions across their entire production process and actively work to reduce them. Alongside that serious environmental commitment, they produce accessible wines that punch well above their price point.
5. Pure Vision
Pure Vision was certified organic before it was trending. The family behind the brand built their vineyards around sustainability from the beginning, with the belief that good wine starts with healthy land. Their focus is on expressing the region while keeping their footprint as light as possible.
6. Organic Wine
Organic Wine is a dedicated online store for organic, biodynamic and preservative-free wines. Their wine finder lets you filter by style, region and certification, which takes all the guesswork out of shopping. They ship Australia-wide and stock everything from small producers to better-known organic labels.
6. Angove Family Winemakers
Angove is one of the bigger names in Australian organic wine, with a long history of certified organic vineyard management. Their organically grown range is widely available in bottleshops and consistently good, which makes them a great entry point for anyone wanting to start choosing lower-impact wines without hunting for niche producers.
7. Gemtree Wines
Gemtree’s vineyards is a McLaren Vale winery, certified organic and biodynamic, with a strong focus on soil regeneration and biodiversity. Their range includes both traditional McLaren Vale styles and lighter, lower-alcohol wines.
8. Paxton Wines
Paxton has been farming organically since the late 1970s and is now fully certified organic and biodynamic. Their McLaren Vale vineyards are dry-grown and managed with a strong focus on soil health and long-term viability. The winery itself is largely powered by solar, with water use and waste tightly managed across production.
9. Mount Avoca Vineyard
Mount Avoca is based in Victoria’s Pyrenees wine region and works with estate-grown fruit alongside select growers from the surrounding area. The focus is on low-intervention winemaking that reflects seasonal conditions rather than a set house style. Their range spans classic regional varieties, with a strong emphasis on Shiraz.
FAQ
Are organic wines always vegan?
No. Organic refers to how the grapes are grown. Vegan refers to how the wine is clarified. Some organic wines still use animal-based fining agents like egg whites or milk proteins, so it’s always worth checking the label or the producer’s website.
What makes a wine sustainable?
Sustainable wine looks at the full picture. That includes how the grapes are grown, how water and energy are used, how waste is managed, and increasingly, packaging and transport. It’s about reducing impact at every stage, not just in the vineyard.
What’s the difference between organic and biodynamic wine?
Both avoid synthetic chemicals, but biodynamic goes further. It follows a seasonal and lunar farming calendar and treats the vineyard as a closed ecosystem, using on-site composts and preparations to support soil health.
Do organic and sustainable wines contain sulphites?
Some do, some don’t. Organic and natural wines often contain lower added sulphites, but they’re not always sulphite-free. Sulphites also occur naturally during fermentation.
Are organic and vegan wines more expensive?
Not necessarily. While some smaller producers sit at the higher end, many organic and vegan wines are now priced similarly to conventional bottles and are easy to find at independent bottle shops and online.
