The Ontario Craft Wineries (OCW) along with the Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO) have announced that Sustainable Winemaking Ontario Certified, which launched in 2007, has now been transitioned to Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario Certified (SWO Certified) to encompass vineyards and wineries, including winemaking facilities. Evolving the program to merge both the vineyard certification and the winery certification ensures that the complete grape-to-glass cycle follows a sustainable path.

SWO Certified is a recognized and independent third-party audit program available to all Ontario vineyards and wineries that produce Ontario VQA wines.

With the program transition launch, the OCW and GGO have welcomed 59 members (24 wineries and 35 vineyards) to SWO Certified, a new SWO Certified logo, plus an educational consumer-facing website. Link here: www.sustainablewinegrowingontario.ca.

Beginning with the 2021 vintage, eco-conscious consumers should look for the SWO Certified logo on Ontario VQA wines, as this ensures that both the grapes and the winery in which the wine is made are SWO Certified. The wines are verified as 100% VQA Ontario by the Ontario Wine Appellation Authority. 

“As the Chair of the SWO Certified program, I am thrilled to be able to work so closely with the like-minded wineries and vineyards who are committed to showing leadership in producing certified sustainable wines. I am also very excited about the launch of our new website which will provide consumers the information they need to make the most sustainable choice when they are purchasing Ontario VQA wines.” – Andrea Kaiser, SWO Certified chair, Reif Estate Winery, SWO Certified Winegrower.

For more information, go to:
info@sustainablewinegrowingontario.ca

Source:  Sustainable Winegrowers Ontario Certified March 1, 2022 news release