Minimum

It’s hard to imagine a winery more committed to environmentalism and social justice than Minimum. That’s not to discount the quality of their wines, which manage to be fresh, alive, complex, and drinkable, all at the same time. But it is the impact commitment and sustainability manifesto that are setting
a new standard for best practices in Australia.

Matt Purbrick grew up with wine: his family owns Tahbilk, one of Australia’s most historic wineries. Though he explored other pursuits, he eventually returned to the vine, finding his reentrance point through organic farming. 

Matt and his wife took over what is now their estate vineyard in 2017, and immediately set about converting it to organics and regenerative farming techniques, including green manure cover
crops, compost teas, mulching, under-vine cultivation, no chemicals or pesticides, and advanced water-saving practices. Matt describes it as “a very natural-process-centred type of stripped back certified organic management.” He continues that “in an incredibly short period of time we are seeing measurable increases in soil life and massive increases in natural resistance to pests and disease.”

The vineyard was certified organic by ACO (Australian Certified Organic) in 2020. Minimum has also become a certified B-Corp, which holistically measures a business’s social and environmental impact through a rigorous certification processes. But they haven’t stopped there: Minimum has committed to always contribute at least 5% of revenue to positive social and environmental impact, including 1% to paying the rent (giving money back to Indigenous custodians) and 1% to the planet – they’ve planted 10,000 trees so far among other environmental dedications.

Doing good in the world is not independent from making good wine. In fact, as their dedication to their land and to the world increases, so does the quality of the wine. “Every year the flavors are getting more layered and nuanced, says Matt. “Joyful, herbal, floral subtleties that didn’t manifest in the early years. Trusting in the natural processes and just allowing things to be, has revealed a whole new landscape of depth in the wines year on year.”