I've spent my career in wine and fermentation. I grew up in Bordeaux, trained as a winemaker, worked in some serious cellars, and eventually landed in Byron Bay with a mission to do something the industry hadn't done before. I don't say any of that to impress - I say it to give context for what I'm about to tell you.
The non-alcoholic drinks category, until very recently, has been an embarrassment.
Watered-down processed grape juice dressed up in fancy bottles. Syrupy sugary mocktails that are essentially lemonade with a premium price tag, or fake sugar that can cause a multitude of health issues. Products that exist to fill a gap, not because anyone actually believed in what they were making. As someone who has devoted his life to craft, it bothered me deeply.
So I made something different. I made AURUM Manuka Spritz.
Why the Non-Alcoholic Category Needed to Change
People are drinking less alcohol. That's not a trend - it's a structural shift, driven by a generation that is paying closer attention to what they put in their bodies, how they feel the next morning, and what their choices mean for their long-term health.
The sober-curious movement, mindful drinking, and the broader alcohol-free lifestyle conversation are all expressions of the same thing: a desire to celebrate, socialise, and enjoy life — without the downsides that come with alcohol.
What that audience has been offered, until now, has not been good enough.
AURUM Manuka Spritz exists to fix that.
What Is AURUM Manuka Spritz?
AURUM Manuka Spritz is a non-alcoholic botanical sparkling rosé made from premium Australian Manuka honey sourced from seven local beekeepers across the Northern Rivers of New South Wales.
There is no alcohol. No added sugar. No artificial preservatives. No synthetic additives of any kind. Just Manuka honey, water, native Australian botanicals, and other gut-friendly ingredients such as prebiotics, organic apple cider vinegar, a pinch of hops and a crack of sea salt for hydration. A fermentation process developed over more than a decade of research and refinement.
It is dry, elegant, complex, and sparkling. It looks beautiful in a glass. It pairs with serious food. And it holds its own at any table.
Why Manuka Honey Is the Right Foundation
I work with seven beekeepers in the Northern Rivers. I taste every batch of honey before it comes near our fermentation tanks. I've spent years understanding how Manuka behaves through fermentation, how its character changes across seasons, and what it gives a finished drink that no other base ingredient can.
Manuka honey is extraordinary. Here's the science behind why:
Antibacterial activity. Manuka contains methylglyoxal (MGO) — a compound with well-documented antibacterial properties that has been the subject of significant research in immune health and wound healing.
Antioxidant content. Raw Manuka honey carries a high antioxidant load, helping protect the body against oxidative stress at a cellular level.
Prebiotic properties. Honey naturally supports beneficial gut bacteria. Given the established connection between gut health and overall wellbeing — including immunity, inflammation, and mental health — this is not a trivial benefit.
Anti-inflammatory compounds. The anti-inflammatory activity in Manuka honey is genuine and measurable, not marketing language.
Lower glycaemic impact than refined sugar. Honey's natural enzyme activity changes how it is metabolised compared to the added sugar found in virtually every commercial non-alcoholic drink on the market.
What fermentation does is take these properties and build on them — creating a drink with depth, complexity, and genuine functional value. A healthy champagne alternative that actually deserves the description.
What AURUM Stands For
I did not create AURUM to fill shelf space. I created it because I believe that what you drink should meet the same standard as what you eat — honest ingredients, clean production, and a genuine respect for the person consuming it.
Here is what that looks like in practice:
No shortcuts on ingredients. Pure Australian Manuka honey, native botanicals, water, hops, prebiotics, rosemary. Nothing added that shouldn't be there.
Preservative-free by design. Manuka honey is naturally antibacterial and antifungal. We don't need sulphites or synthetic preservatives. For anyone managing sensitivities, intolerances, or simply trying to reduce their chemical load — that matters.
Genuinely sustainable. I work directly with local beekeepers. Every bottle sold means more honey purchased, which means beekeepers can grow their hives and increase bee populations. One third of the global food supply depends on pollination. Supporting AURUM is not just a lifestyle choice — it's an environmental one.
Terroir-driven. The Northern Rivers of NSW produces some of the finest Manuka honey in the world. Our product is an expression of that place — the same way a great wine expresses its soil and climate. This is the only true wine of terroir from the Northern Rivers.
Zero alcohol. Zero compromise. For anyone who has chosen not to drink — whether for health, pregnancy, recovery, sport, religion, or simply personal preference — AURUM gives you a glass that is genuinely worth raising.
Who This Was Made For
AURUM Manuka Spritz was made for anyone who takes what they put in their body seriously. In practice, that includes:
Pregnant and breastfeeding women who want a genuinely premium option at the table.
People reducing or eliminating alcohol — sober-curious, Dry July, Dry January, or simply cutting back.
Those with wine sensitivities or sulphite intolerances who have never had a truly elegant non-alcoholic option.
Athletes and high performers who manage their nutrition with precision and won't compromise at a celebration.
Anyone on a gut-healing or anti-inflammatory protocol who still wants to mark a moment properly.
Health-conscious hosts who want to offer guests something impressive and nourishing — not just sparkling water.
People in recovery who want to be fully present at life's celebrations.
How to Serve It
AURUM Manuka Spritz comes in a 200ml piccolo — the same format as a champagne piccolo. Serve it cold, straight from the fridge, in a proper glass. It deserves one.
It pairs well with:
Oysters, sashimi, and fresh seafood
Charcuterie and aged cheeses
Canapés and light starters
Anything with acidity, freshness, or delicate aromatics
It also works perfectly on its own. As an aperitif, after a long day, or at the kind of celebration where you want to be sharp and present and still feel like you're part of the moment.
Where This Started
I grew up in Pauillac, Bordeaux. My grandfather — also Louis — kept bees and taught me about honey long before I ever understood wine. Those two threads — fermentation and honey — ran in parallel for most of my life before I finally brought them together.
After training as a winemaker, working in Bordeaux and Western Australia, I arrived in Byron Bay in 2012. The Northern Rivers had something I hadn't encountered anywhere else — exceptional honey, extraordinary biodiversity, and a landscape that deserved to be expressed in a glass. I spent years figuring out how to do that with the precision of a winemaker and the patience of someone who understood that great things don't rush.
AURUM is the Latin for golden wine. That's what I set out to make. And AURUM Manuka Spritz is what happens when you apply that same standard to a drink that contains no alcohol — and refuse to compromise on a single thing.
The Shift That's Happening
Australians are reconsidering their relationship with alcohol. Not dramatically, not all at once — but steadily and meaningfully. The mindful drinking movement is real, and it's being driven by people who are informed, health-aware, and done with settling for less.
AURUM Manuka Spritz is built for that moment.
Not as a replacement for wine. Not as a lesser option. As a premium non-alcoholic sparkling wine that stands on its own merit — because the craft behind it demands nothing less.
If you've been looking for a healthy celebration drink, a non-alcoholic champagne alternative, or simply a Manuka honey drink worth sharing at your best moments — this is it.
Find AURUM Manuka Spritz
Available online at aurum.vin, shipping across Australia. If you're in the Northern Rivers, join us at our cellar door at Newrybar Hall every Saturday — taste the full range, ask questions, and see what we're building.
I'm proud of this one. Come and find out why.
Louis Costa Founder, AURUM Mead