Noble Ridge attains a first for a winery in Canada

Photo: Contributed

Noble Ridge Winery is the winery Canadian winery to achieve certification through the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association’s Biosphere Sustainable Commitment Program.

Saying the word “biosphere” in conversation probably conjures up thoughts of sci-fi movies or something similar, not a benchmark achievement in the Canadian wine industry.

But Noble Ridge Vineyard and Winery recently announced that in early April it became the first Canadian winery to achieve certification through the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association’s (TOTA) Biosphere Sustainable Commitment Programhttps://www.totabc.org/biosphere-commitment-program.

Photo: Contributed

Noble Ridge Winery's owner Jim D’Andrea and director of winemaking and viticulturer Benoit Gauthier.

The certification was obtained after completing more than 133 activities related to the 17 sustainable development goals and 169 targets of the United Nations.

In 2017, the Thompson Okanagan region became the first region in North America to achieve the prestigious Biosphere Tourism Destination certification, led by TOTA’s commitment to assisting local tourism industry stakeholders in the implementation of sustainable practices.

TOTA’s Biosphere Commitment Program helps equip tourism businesses in the region with tools and resources to continuously measure, manage, and report sustainability management efforts.

Given growing discussions worldwide about “overtourism” and its impact on the environment and local economies, plus mounting climate challenges faced in the Okanagan—notably to agriculture, vineyards and fruit production—sustainability is no longer simply a buzz word, but a critically needed system.

Implementing sustainable practices is a priority to nurture short, medium and long-term benefits for the vines, winery and region, noted Benoit Gauthier, the winery’s director of winemaking and viticulture, in a media release.

Noble Ridge began switching from conventional farming to sustainable farming practices in 2014. In 2020, the company started the Sustainable Winegrowing B.C. Program with the BC Wine Grape Council, and in 2021, Noble Ridge became one of the first vineyards in British Columbia to achieve the Sustainable Winegrowing BC certification.

As its sustainable work expanded, Noble Ridge decided to adopt sustainable practices for the entire business, from the use of eco glass for bottling to the development of a waste management and recycling program, to composting, to the use of geothermal energy for heating and cooling, and much more.

Founded in 2001 in Okanagan Falls, Noble Ridge has grown to 24 acres planted, primarily with Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir grapes. Its sparkling wines under the name “The One” are a personal favourite for celebrations of any kind.

Conveniently, there’s a 2014 bottle of The One tucked away on my wine rack.

Raising glass to a decade of sustainability will be a great reason to pop it open, and congratulate the team at Noble Ridge.

Photo: Contributed

Noble Ridge Winery's vineyard.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.