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Nova Scotia winery the first
ANova Scotia winery known for its premier sparkling wine is now certified as the first vegan winery in all of North America. L’Acadie Vineyards in Gaspereau, Nova Scotia, is the first farm and winery in North America to adopt the stringent European Biocyclic Vegan standard of avoiding all animal inputs in the vineyard and winery, and the first to be qualified to use the Biocyclic Vegan Quality Seal.
Biocyclic Vegan agriculture means purely plant-based organic farming. This form of cultivation excludes all commercial livestock farming of animals and does not use any inputs of animal origin in viticulture and winemaking. Special emphasis is placed on the promotion of biodiversity, healthy soil life, and the closure of organic cycles and systematic humus build-up.
The fundamental principles for biocyclic vegan agriculture have been laid down in a standard created by the International Biocyclic Vegan Network which has been applicable worldwide since 2017 as a global standard for vegan organic agriculture. The objective of the organization is to establish and promote a sustainable, closed loop and vegan oriented form of organic farming by introducing the biocyclic vegan principles in all areas of agriculture and food production. L’Acadie Vineyards was established in 2004 by well-known Canadian winemaker Bruce Ewert and his family. As a professional winemaker for over thirty years, Ewert operated wineries in the Okanagan Valley and Niagara Peninsula as well as in Sonoma, California, and Australia, and now Canada’s emerging wine region, Nova Scotia. He is integral in establishing Nova Scotia as a sparkling wine region. L’Acadie Vineyards is the first winery in Nova Scotia to release traditional method sparkling wines receiving international awards.
“All of our wines have been made vegan wines for over a decade and this certification gives our customers confidence that no animal inputs are used in our vineyard and in our wines,” says Bruce Ewert, founder & owner of L’Acadie Vineyards. “Biocyclic Vegan certification recognizes our extra sustainable efforts and care that are beyond organic, veganic, and we embrace their principles for the good of environment, animals and people.”
L’Acadie Vineyards is the first organic winery in Nova Scotia since its inception in 2004, and their operations go beyond organic. They have used zero animal inputs in their estate vineyard since 2017, and their sustainable practices include the use of composted plant residue, teas, and cover crops, and encouraging biodiversity and soils that are living and regenerative. o
