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Laura and Brendan Carter have an intense commitment to sustainability - a unique zeal some might say (= unico zelo in Italian - read on to find out why). They planted 35 different varietals to see which could grow without irrigation in the harsh Australian climate and ended with a handful of native Italian grapes they now craft into wonderfully smashable wines aimed at the next generation of wine drinkers.

This tiny operation, started in 2007 by the spirited Sardinian Antonio Berritta, operates out of the basement of a grocery store. Antonio, his wife Maria Paola and their kids, Serena and Francesco are all involved in the operations of the winery – under the meticulous direction of the grandkids. Antonio’s family has been cultivating olives and vines using traditional methods for generations. This stuff really is in their blood!

In 2002, Elisabetta Foradori (who’s a bit of a legend in Italy), Thomas Widmann and Giovanni Podini purchase Ampelaia – originally established by a Swiss couple in the 60s. Their vision was to demonstrate the diversity and potential of Maremma. Now, the fully biodynamic Ampelaia stretches across 120 hectares, of which only 35 are planted to vines – the rest are dedicated to wheat, olives, cows, chickens and beehives. Some say they’re a bit mad, but their decisions are all made very consciously, aiming to preserve the biodiversity of their land. They’re more of a family than a business, more of a lifestyle than a career.

Maori-owned and operated, this winery is taking sustainability to a whole other level. They are passionate about preserving their heritage which blends in beautifully with their philosophies around environmental conservation. Every member of this winery owns a small part of it, giving way to more than 4,000 owner families! What can we say, it takes a village to raise a beautiful wine baby!

Melissa Nelson is a self-taught winemaker who fell in love with the Bot River region and the camaraderie amongst the winemakers in the region (her grapes grow just down the way from Luddite). Her aim was pretty simple – to make more than they could drink. More than a decade later, that simple aim has led to some simply amazing bubbles!