organicgardener.com.au^65
Selectedsuppliers
organicwine.com.au rawwineandbeer.com.au
theorganicwinecellar.com.au vineful.com.au
PHOTOS: ALI NASSERI
Vineyard in the Margaret River: their bright spicy 2019
Gros Ventre Rosé ($22) is made from grenache grapes;
well-established biodynamic winery in McLaren Vale,
Gemtree, use tempranillo grapes to make the pale,
thirst-quenching 2019 Luna de Fresa Rosé ($25)Red wines
Inspired by the natural wine trend, a growing number of
winemakers (both conventional and organic) are making
lighter, fresher styles of red wines intended for early
drinking, bottled with low or no added sulphur-dioxide
preservative. These reds, lightly chilled, make perfect
barbecue wines. Having said that, though, the best
organic and biodynamic red wines also have the capacity
to age extremely well in the cellar, and make great gifts
for the wine geek in your life.
The Indigo Organic Grape Growers Collective is a
new Victorian wine brand featuring contemporary, fresh
styles such as a slurpy purple 2018 Nero d’Avola ($20);
Paxton in McLaren Vale produce a range of preservative-
free organic wines including the juicy, gutsy 2019 NOW
(Natural Organic Wine) Shiraz ($25); and if you’re
looking for something with more longevity, consider the
superb, spicy, sinewy 2015 Syrah ($55) from biodynamic
Cobaw Ridge vineyard in Victoria’s cool Macedon Ranges.Beer and cider
There’s not a lot of certified organic barley or apples
grown in Australia, and as a result there’s not all that
many locally-produced organic beer or cider brands.
Luckily, though, two of the best – Mountain Goat and
Willie Smith’s – have good national distribution through
large liquor chains, so there’s no excuse not to have a
few stubbies of organic beer and cider on ice in the esky
for those long summer days watching the cricket.Victorian craft breweryPricklyMosesis oneof veryfew
local beer-makers to produce an Organic Pilsner ($4) to
appeal to the lager-lovers out there; Australian craft beer
pioneer Mountain Goat is now owned by a giant Japanese
drinks company, but still makes the excellent, perfumed
organic Steam Ale ($5); and Tasmania’s Willie Smith’s sell
tasty Organic Apple Cider in both bottles and cans ($6).Spirits
Although only a handful Australian distillers are certified
organic, between them they cover most bases from vodka
to liqueurs. Because all these organic spirits are produced
on a tiny scale, though, and because taxes are high on
spirits in this country, none of the drinks listed below
are cheap. But then again, it is Christmas and you do
deserve a treat...
South Australian winery – and long-time brandy
distiller – Angove make the full-flavoured Blind Tiger
Organic Gin ($70); based in the Hunter Valley, The
Antipodes Gin Co, which is certified organic and carbon
neutral, produces a range of gins, vodka and Espresso
liqueur (all $89); and Harris Organic Wines in the
Swan Valley north of Perth sells a range of fortified
wines, liqueurs and spirits, including gin, vodka and
a 10-year-old Organic Brandy ($99). You can even
offer your festive guests a fully organic G&T, made
with Victoria’s Daylesford and Hepburn Mineral
Springs Co. Organic Tonic ($3).Above: Cider maker Willie Smith’s
apple orchard in Tassie.