The Ontario Craft Wineries (OCW) along with the Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO) announced today that Sustainable Winemaking Ontario Certified, which launched in 2007, has now been transitioned to Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario Certified (SWO Certified) to encompass vineyards and wineries, including winemaking facilities.
Evolving the program to merge both the vineyard certification and the winery certification ensures that the complete grape-to-glass cycle follows a sustainable path, a news release said.
SWO Certified is a recognized and independent third-party audit program available to all Ontario vineyards and wineries that produce Ontario VQA wines. It was developed with the three tiers of sustainability at the forefront of the program: environment, economy, and community. Grape growers and winemakers are stewards of the land, they operate viable businesses, support jobs, and are a cornerstone of tourism to local rural communities. With today’s program transition launch, the OCW and GGO welcomed 59 members (24 wineries and 35 vineyards) to SWO Certified, a new SWO Certified logo, plus an educational consumer-facing website for those interested in learning more about the program and the participants. The new SWO Certified website can be viewed here.
Beginning with the 2021 vintage, eco-conscious consumers should look for the SWO Certified logo on Ontario VQA wines, as this ensures that both the grapes and the winery in which the wine is made are SWO Certified. The wines are verified as 100% VQA Ontario by the Ontario Wine Appellation Authority.
“As a second-generation grape grower, it is extremely important to me that I manage my vineyards in a sustainable way that will allow me to pass them onto my children the same way they have been passed onto me,” said Kevin Watson of K.J. Watson Farms Limited. “Certifying my vineyards through the Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario Certified program, which includes an independent audit, benchmarks our progress and success growing certified sustainable grapes.”
Andrea Kaiser, SWO Certified chair and marketing manager for Reif Estate Winery, said: “As the chair of the SWO Certified program, I am thrilled to be able to work so closely with the like-minded wineries and vineyards who are committed to showing leadership in producing certified sustainable wines. I am also very excited about the launch of our new website which will provide consumers the information they need to make the most sustainable choice when they are purchasing Ontario VQA wines.”
List of SWO Certified Wineries
13th Street Winery
Andrew Peller Limited
Cave Springs Vineyard
Chateau des Charmes
Creekside Estate Winery
Ferox Estate Winery
Flat Rock Cellars
Henry of Pelham Family Estate
Hidden Bench
Icellars
Malivoire
Niagara College Teaching Winery
Oxley Estate Winery
Pelee Island Winery & Pelee Island Winery Pavilion
Peller Estates
Pillitteri Estates Winery
Reif Estate Winery
Southbrook Vineyards
Stratus Vineyards
Strewn Winery
Thirty Bench Wine Makers
Trius
Vineland Estates
Wayne Gretzky Estates
List of SWO Certified Vineyards
Andrew Peller Limited
Andrewes Farms Ltd.
Bob Nedelko
Briar Creek Farms Inc
Cave Spring Vineyard
Chateau des Charmes Wines Ltd.
Ergenocan Investments Inc.
Erwin Wiens Vineyards Ltd.
Ferox Estates Winery
Flat Rock Cellars
Glenlake Orchards
Henry of Pelham Family Estate
Huebel Farms Estates
Huebel Grapes Estates
Honsberger Estates
Hughes Vineyards
J.D. Whitty Farms
K.J. Watson Farms Limited
Keczan Farm
Lado Viscek Jr.
Larry Dubois
Malivoire
Mark Picone
Niagara College Teaching Winery
Oxley Estate Winery
Paragon Estate Vineyards
Peele Island Winery + Vineyards Inc.
Reif Vineyards Inc.
Seeger Farms Ltd.
Southbrook Vineyards
Strewn Winery Inc.
Tregunno Fruit Farms Inc.
Vineland Estates Winery
Warren Ridge Inc.
William Falk Farms
— The information in this report was provided to Wines In Niagara
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