by Daniel Lafleur for Tawse Winery, a ‘Certified Good Food Fighter‘

Winemaker Paul Pender and friend at Tawse's newly Demeter certified biodynamic vineyards.

At Tawse Winery, we have always practiced a non-interventionist approach to viticulture; no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers in the vineyards, and strict adherence to the winegrowing and winemaking regulations of the Ecocert Canada organic certification program.  This has given us healthy vines and exceptional soil fertility, but we have wanted to take our commitment to quality a step further.

In 2006, we began the challenging process of converting Tawse Vineyards to International Demeter Standards of biodynamic farming.  We have since applied rigorous biodynamic methods to soil preparation, pest and weed control, harvesting, barreling, bottling, and every other aspect of our wine production.

After four years of hard work, we have achieved official biodynamic certification.  Our wines have stronger, more vibrant flavors than ever before, and in 2010 we won a record five gold medals at the Canadian Wine Awards and were named Canadian Winery of the Year.  All new 2010 vintages made from our biodynamic vineyards will now be bottled with labels bearing Ecocert and Demeter seals.

The first of our certified biodynamic wines, the 2010 Quarry Road Riesling and the 2010 Quarry Road Gewurztraminer, will be released at the Somewhereness event on May 10, 2011.

Selected restaurants across the province of Ontario will debut these wines on May 14, 2011, including:

Canoe (Toronto)
Splendido (Toronto)
Hockley Valley Resort (Orangeville)
The Only on King (London)
Nick and Nat’s Uptown 21 (Waterloo)
Rocky Raccoon (Owen Sound)
Rare Grillhouse (Peterborough)
Artisanale (Guelph)
Ancaster Old Mill
Quatrefoil (Dundas)
Twisted lemon (Cayuga)
Red Canoe (Burlington)
Oscar’s (Barrie)
Aquaterra by Clark (Kingston)
Bijou (Stratford)
The Stuffed Peasant (Collingwood)
Domus (Ottawa)
Taylor’s (Ottawa)
Bistro Seven Seven (Alliston)
Pane Vino (Lindsay)
Langdon Hall (Cambridge)