Located in the Thompson‑Okanagan, Gold Hill Winery has taken decisive action to rebuild and strengthen its vineyards following devastating winter freeze events in 2023 and 2024. With support from the Enhanced Replant Program (ERP), the winery is restoring productivity while implementing practices designed to improve long-term climate resilience and vineyard performance.

Gold Hill Winery experienced unprecedented vine losses across more than half of its vineyard acreage, with some blocks suffering 100% vine mortality. Through ERP funding under the Wine Grape Replant stream, the winery replanted 26 acres of wine grapes, replacing damaged vines with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Gris varieties.

“We are very grateful for the funding provided for helping us financially replant our vineyards after the devastating freeze events of 2023 and 2024,” says Sant Gill of Gold Hill Winery. “Funding programs provided by the Government of BC help to bridge losses in production and revenue.”

ERP support enabled Gold Hill Winery to not only recover from climate related losses, but also to adopt improved vineyard design and management practices. The replant project introduced a higher planting density of 1,850 plants per acre, resulting in nearly 137,000 new vines. This approach reduces crop load per vine and supports improved fruit quality and vine balance.

Additional resiliency measures included:

• Training vines to a lower head height to reduce winter damage risk
• Leaving spur wood with buds near the graft union to allow for trunk renewal
• Mounding soil over graft unions in winter to protect scion wood
• Tight irrigation and soil moisture management to promote proper wood hardening
• Careful crop load management to ensure successful ripening under variable conditions

Together, these practices are helping Gold Hill Winery better protect its vineyards against extreme cold events while maintaining production of premium wine grapes.

By supporting recovery, modernization, and climate resilient replanting, the Enhanced Replant Program plays a vital role in helping BC wine grape producers remain competitive and sustainable in the face of increasing climate risk. Gold Hill Winery’s project demonstrates how targeted funding can help growers rebuild stronger and prepare for the future.

ERP is funded by the Government of BC via the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The program is delivered by IAF. In February 2025, Gold Hill Winery Ltd. was approved to receive $39,319.27 in funding from ERP to replant 15 acres of grapes. For a full list of approved ERP projects, visit iafbc.ca/erp/approved-projects/.