Founded in 1995, Stag’s Hollow Winery was one of the first 30 wineries in British Columbia. A focus on sustainable practices was important from day one, and runs through all operations, from organic vineyard management to geothermal building systems and the solar panels that shade our patio. The natural kettle-hole ‘hollow’ of our home vineyard is a defining element of the Okanagan Falls sub-Geographical Indication (sub-GI) and a key factor in showcasing our terroir through our minimal intervention wines. Stag’s Hollow achieved certification from Sustainable Winegrowing British Columbia in 2021 and Salmon-Safe BC recertification in 2024. Today, the winery continues to focus on sustainable practices to minimize its operational impact on the environment. 

Sustainability for us includes everything from land conservation and pest management to responsible water usage, efficient energy use and social equity through business planning, our employees and relationship with our community. We use only organic products in our vineyards, trellis with a Geneva Double Curtain method, harvest by hand, and have natural buffer zones. Our buildings are geothermal, from air temperature to tanks, and all packaging is with recycled or recyclable materials.

Our Commitment to Sustainability:

🍷To make all decisions for the business with Sustainability in mind

🍷To protect and preserve the land, soil, water, plants, and animals that support our business

🍷To reduce the use of water, energy, fertilizers, pesticides and packaging, and minimize waste

🍷To streamline our sustainability efforts and identify areas of improvement

🍷To prevent pollution and enhance carbon capture in our vineyards

🍷To foster relationships with regulators, employees, neighbours and the community at large

What does that mean in practice?

In the Winery:

💚Heating and cooling of the buildings, including the tanks, is with a geothermal system.

💚Currently a portion of our electricity needs are met with solar panels over our south deck. Expansion plans to the solar panels in 2022 will allow all electricity needs in the building to be completely covered by solar.

💚Partnered with Crush Dynamics for the Clean-Tech Initiative, which converts the pomace and lees (waste product) from winemaking into natural food additives, avoiding methane release into the atmostphere and earning carbon credits.

In the Vineyards:

💚Both our vineyards are certified Salmon Safe – assessed and recertified by the Fraser Basin Council in Sept 2024.

💚Farm the vineyards naturally, by hand, and without the use of herbicides.

💚Irrigate the vines efficiently through drip irrigation, and only irrigate when necessary.

💚Grow diverse and natural vegetation buffer zones in order to provide breeding grounds for beneficial insects, to control unwanted populations of pests.

In the Wine Shop & Offices:

💚Minimize the use of paper, using electronic documents where possible, printing double-sided and minimizing margins when we must print.

💚Eliminate the use of single-use plastics (bags, cutlery, cups) in favour of reusable, recyclable or compostable options.

💚 Use environmentally responsible cleaning products that are safe for our land and support sustainable agricultural practices.