Tightrope Winery & Vineyard (Naramata Bench) has announced it’s the first Certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing BC.
Owners Graham & Lyndsay O’Rourke say that, from the very beginning, they always wanted Tightrope Winery to be a sustainable enterprise. But not only did they want to grow and make sustainable wine. Just as important was the overall health of their property, especially considering it was home to their young family.
From the release:
“The key points of Sustainability takes into account how we might live in harmony with the natural world around us, protecting it from damage and destruction. Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It goes beyond organics with a focus on resource management, including water and energy efficiency. Sustainability is not just environmental-ism. Central to its principles are concerns for social equity, economic development and how the greater community is affected.”
Tightrope: a hands-on role
As a founding director with Sustainable Winegrowing BC (SWBC), Graham O’Rourke had a hands-on role in the program’s development. It was originally conceived by a core group of growers and winemakers (including a few originally from elsewhere). As a result the SWBC process combines many successful ideas proven in other wine regions, such as in Chile and New Zealand.
After a decade of development the finished program was made available late last year. It’s been well received, with numerous BC wineries embarking on eventual certification.
Key to SWBC’s program goals is that they’re “based on continual improvement, are outcome focused, and continually use data to measure performance. There are both essential criteria that require 100% compliance and continuous improvement criteria that are measured over time and require continual improvement.”
A wide range of ideals
BC’s Sustainability program incorporates both environmental and social areas.
• To create systems and practices that conserve resources & create efficiency while protecting the environment.
• Efforts include a broad and proactive approach towards production management and enhancement, environmental stewardship, and social equity.
• Sustainably grown wine is earth-friendly—made with people and the planet in mind.
Tightrope was among a core group of wineries which had already completed a self assessment process. They embarked on the path to third party certification as soon as it became available. Others include Tinhorn Creek, Quails Gate and Tantalus, all of whom had also completed self assessment.
Here’s what I wrote last year in Quench magazine:
“For a while it looked as if BC might be trailing in terms of sustainable initiatives. Even producers such as Argentina and Languedoc had been playing catchup in recent years. The south of France region, once regarded as little more than a bulk wine producer, has emerged as one of the world’s sustainable leaders, with significant lands under biodynamic and organic production.
However, in the background, BC was all the while busy shaping its own program … one that appears to enjoy widespread support.”
What to taste…
The best place to appreciate sustainable winegrowing is in the bottle.
Here’s a summary of my reviews from Tightrope’s last releases. These wines continue to underscore Tightrope’s reputation for excellent value, now further enhanced by their sustainable certification.
Tightrope Syrah 2018
Up-front dark berries, floral and spice notes with appealing, meaty gamey hints. Intense herb and savoury elements lead into a dry palate of cassis, black cherry and dark plum. Supported by firm, well integrated tannins, with more leather and savoury elements that keep building through the lengthy finish. Enjoy now but also definitely worth putting away. $34 – 93 pts
[…] walking the proverbial tightrope. ;-) However, this drop earns a spot as the first formally certified sustainable BC wine tasted since the program kicked in. But it’s also worthy as a ‘serious’ BC Pinot Gris, a […]