Sustainability / Community

A commitment to sustainability has long been built into Alderlea Vineyards from its founding days.

Our personal commitment is to further enhance and develop our sustainability programs to become a wine industry leader in Canada. Some examples of our sustainability commitment include:

Winemaking

No animal based products or fining agents are used in our winery. The facility is passively cooled and well insulated, removing the need for air-conditioning and high energy use.

Local Partnerships

Since taking over Alderlea Vineyards in 2017, we have been committed to partnering with local suppliers like Island Hose & Hydraulic in Duncan for hoses, fittings, and other custom metal work. Hired Guns Creative in Nanaimo designed the labels for our Alderlea Vineyards, Motovino Plaid and Contraband wines, and Island Saw & Turf, and Island Tractor in Duncan have supplied and serviced our tractors, mowers, and other farming equipment.

Farming

Our low-impact spray programs manage vineyard fungi while minimizing negative effects on the environment. Beneficial insects are encouraged & harmful insecticides are not used. The vineyard tractor operates on biodiesel fuel made by the Cowichan Bio-Diesel Co-op from recycled cooking oil from local restaurants.

We use compost to fertilize our vines, allowing us to return the needed organics back into the soil and in addition, repurposing waste products (grape skins) from the winemaking process. As well as manure from nearby horse owners. Grass and clover are allowed to grow and are mowed between the vine rows providing further nutrients, improving the soil biodiversity, and eliminating the use of synthetic herbicides in the vineyard.

Water Management

During the winery’s original design and construction, a system was put into place that pumps the wastewater, containing materials such as yeast lees and grape pulp, to the top of the vineyard where it is sand-filtered. The water is then available to passively irrigate the vineyard, preventing these organic materials from reaching the Quamichan Lake watershed.

In 2019, we installed water probes across the vineyard to measure how effective our watering regimen was. Each probe sits at two depths: 30cm and 80cm. This helps us determine how much to water and when reducing our use of water and using it only when and where we need it.

ALDERLEA PROMISE

We are committed to sustainable farming practices and making the highest quality wine in Canada