Bosworth Wines – the first certified organic producer in McLaren Vale – is celebrating 30 years since embarking on the conversion to organic in 1995.
What began as a bold, ahead-of-its-time decision has helped shape McLaren Vale into Australia’s leading region for organic viticulture.
The region is now home to the highest concentration of certified organic and biodynamic vineyards in the country.
When Joch Bosworth began transitioning his family vineyards to organic methods in 1995, organic wine was virtually unheard of in Australia.
He devised many of his own practical strategies – from adapting traditional machinery (the old-fashioned dodge plough) to avoid herbicides to championing the humble soursob as a natural weed suppressant.
“When we began converting to organics in ’95, there was no roadmap,” Joch says.
“McLaren Vale’s climate suited it, I wasn’t keen on chemicals, and it simply felt like the right direction for the vineyards.
“So, we made a start and worked it out as we went.”
Today, nearly 38 percent of McLaren Vale’s vineyard area is certified organic or biodynamic – a proportion unmatched anywhere else in Australia.
This regional shift reflects the influence of early adopters like Bosworth Wines, who demonstrated that organic farming could thrive here while delivering high-quality fruit.
That philosophy has been validated again and again.
Over the past 18 months alone, Bosworth Wines has earned a series of significant national accolades including:
• Trophy for Best Other Red/Blend at the 2025 McLaren Vale Wine Show for The Heretic 2024, their Touriga, Tataro, Graciano Shiraz blend.
• Trophy for Best Organic or Biodynamic Wine at the 2024 Melbourne Royal Wine Awards for the Battle of Bosworth 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Best Organic Shiraz in Australia at the 2025 Great Australian Shiraz Challenge for the White Boar Shiraz.
• Chairperson’s Trophy at the 2024 McLaren Vale Wine Show for its preservative-free Shiraz, the Puritan which the judges deemed “best represents the past, present and future of McLaren Vale”.
• The Heretic also received a Consistency of Excellence Award at the 2025 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards, recognising its gold-medal performance over three consecutive years.
Co-owner Louise Hemsley-Smith says the region’s evolution is one of the most rewarding legacies of their early organic decision.
“Back then, going organic definitely raised a few eyebrows,” she says.
“Now it strengthens the whole region.
“I’m proud that our choice helped set McLaren Vale on a path that’s been positive for the vineyards, the soils and the wines.
“Seeing more growers adopting organics isn’t competition – it’s progress.”
As Bosworth Wines marks this milestone, the family remains focused on the future: exploring climate-appropriate varieties, deepening their sustainability practices and supporting the next generation.
Their daughter Celia has just completed her third year of winemaking studies at the University of Adelaide, while Peggy, 18, worked her first cellar door shift last weekend.
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