Page 66 - Grapevine July-Aug 2020

International News
Southbrook Vineyards:
Living a Sustainable Mantra
By: Alyssa Andres
M any wineries are starting to move
toward more sustainable practices,
not only because it’s ethical but also
because it results in a superior product. The term
sustainable could include the transition to organic
winemaking and vineyard operations, the use of
less water and energy, or the utilization of recycled
materials in production. Southbrook Vineyards in
Canada’s Niagara Peninsula has taken the concept
of “sustainable” and designed their entire opera-
tion around it. From the vineyard to the winemak-
ing to the design of their tasting room, Southbrook
has made it their mission from day one to have as
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little impact on the surrounding environment as
possible. They’ve even coined themselves Canada’s
most thoughtful winery.
Southbrook has pursued the goal of sustainabil-
ity from the start. Owner, entrepreneur and wine
connoisseur, Bill Redelmeier, always believed in
the idea of a sustainable winery. Since establish-
ing Southbrook in 2005, he set out to make it as
low impact as possible. Redelmeier’s goal was
to provide an example of what was possible in
Ontario and back it up with certification. Starting
as a 75-acre plot in Niagara-on-the-Lake, by 2008,
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