The Hidden Sea – A wine brand with a mission
To mark the awareness month, Plastic Free July, we caught up with Justin Moran, Co-founder of The Hidden Sea Wine. The Hidden Sea isn’t just a wine brand, it’s a movement with a mission: to rid our oceans of plastic. Every bottle they sell funds the removal of the equivalent of 10 plastic bottles from the ocean. And during Plastic Free July, they go all in.
Tell us the story behind The Hidden Sea and what inspired the mission?
The Hidden Sea was born out of a simple yet powerful question: How do we lead with purpose while paying respect to the ocean that once covered the land where our vineyards are located today? We make award-winning premium Australian wine, and for every bottle we sell, we remove and recycle 10 plastic bottles from the ocean. The name comes from something pretty wild – our vineyards in South Australia sit on what used to be an ancient seabed. If you dig down, you’ll find fossilised whale bones, a powerful reminder of the ocean that once covered this land. That inspired us to protect the oceans that remain. If you enjoy a glass of wine, you should feel good about it, too. The world doesn’t need another wine brand, it needs brands that give a damn, brands that matter.
How did wine and ocean conservation come around?
It started with a realisation – if we’re going to build a business, it should have a net positive impact on the world. We already knew how to make great wine, but we wanted it to stand for something more. So we looked around and asked ourselves: what’s the one issue that’s both urgent and deeply personal to us? The ocean kept coming up. It’s in our brand’s DNA, from the ancient seabed under our vineyards to our love for the water today. And plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats facing it. So we decided to take it head-on. The idea was simple: turn wine into a force for good. Every bottle sold removes 10 plastic bottles from the ocean. No greenwashing, just measurable action. It’s about enjoying life while doing something that matters.
Why is sustainability in the wine industry so important and where do you think it’s heading?
Because the wine industry doesn’t exist without a healthy planet—full stop. If we don’t protect the environment, there’s no soil, no water, no grapes, and no future.
But sustainability in wine can’t just be about ticking boxes or slapping “organic” on a label. It needs to be deeper than that. It’s about how we treat the land, the people, and the communities around us—and it’s about holding ourselves accountable, not just looking good on paper.
Where’s it heading? The innovative brands are shifting from passive sustainability to active purpose. Consumers are asking more challenging questions. They want to know: what are you really doing, not just saying? I think we’ll see more transparency, more measurable impact, and a stronger link between what you drink and what you stand for.
What exactly happens behind the scenes to remove plastic from the ocean every time someone buys a bottle?
For every bottle of The Hidden Sea sold, we fund the removal and recycling of 10 plastic bottles from the ocean and riverways. We partner with 4ocean, a global cleanup organisation that operates with full traceability and impact reporting. Their crews- real people, on the ground—are out every single day, pulling plastic waste from some of the world’s most affected coastlines and waterways. Everything collected is sorted, tracked, and processed for recycling or proper disposal. It’s not a vague promise, it’s audited, it’s verified, and it’s happening in real time. So when you buy a bottle, you’re not just getting great wine, you’re literally funding a cleaner ocean. It’s wine with purpose, backed by action.
Favourite Hidden Sea wine and food pairing?
Right now, I’m all about The Hidden Sea Sauvignon Blanc, a margarita pizza, and a great mate to have a yarn with. It’s unfussy, fresh, and hits the spot every time. Good wine, good food, good people. That’s the pairing that matters.
What’s next for The Hidden Sea?
Plenty. We’re scaling up both our impact and our reach. More cleanup events are scheduled, including major collaborations with 4ocean in the U.S., and we’re working on new ways for consumers to see the impact of their purchases in real-time.
We’re also exploring locally sourced wines under The Hidden Sea banner in key global markets. Same mission, same values, just made closer to home to reduce footprint and bring the message to more people. At the end of the day, we want to remove a billion plastic bottles from the ocean by 2030. That’s the goal. Everything we do, every bottle, every campaign, every new market – is a step toward that goal.
If you’re looking for a wine that doesn’t just taste good but feels good too, The Hidden Sea is available in a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, Rose and Chardonnay.