We put together a slideshow of some of our favourite scenes on Working Horse Farm. Enjoy! Music is "Sun Break" by John Williams.

Working Horse Winery, Vineyard and Farm blends a rich winemaking history, historic vineyards and heritage farming techniques with a contemporary approach to making premium organic wines.

The farm was first homesteaded at the turn of the century and abandoned in the 1930s. Not until 1973 was the farm revitalized, when present owner Tilman Hainle planted the organic vineyards by hand.

The location where Tilman and his father made North America’s first Icewine in 1978 is now also home to his new boutique organic winery, Working Horse. The new winery and historic farm is the realization of Tilman's and his partner Sara Norman's vision for the property as a modern working example of sustainable heritage farming.

Working Horse Winery will be honouring its long winemaking and farming history by offering the opportunity for guests to visit our Icewine Interpretation Centre. The centre will include historic artifacts and information documenting the birth of Icewine in North America, as well as displays that demonstrate how Canadian Icewine is made today.

The original vineyards at Working Horse are over 30 years old and include unique and rare heritage varietals. Farming practices at Working Horse incorporate organic, biodynamic and sustainable principles with heritage farming that uses draft horses.

Native wildlife, farm animals and humans co-exist on this breathtakingly beautiful property in Peachland that overlooks Lake Okanagan. The 22-acre farm reflects a nurturing holistic approach to land use and how to work with local growing conditions.

Culinarians and naturalists alike will appreciate the farms extensive herb and vegetable gardens, interwoven amongst many acres that are representational of the Okanagan’s natural ecosystem.

Through our passion for draft horses and desire to show others how they can be used in farming, we hope to help preserve these gentle giants and encourage others to do the same.

Winemaking at Working Horse continues to honor the organic principles that master winemaker Tilman Hainle was the first to establish in Canada in 1993. Sustainable winemaking to us means the production of small lots of premium wines made from the vinifera grown on the farm.

We consider our fruit precious, so it is lovingly hand-picked and hand-sorted. Each year it is the expectation of the farm that we will have a bear enjoy some of our harvest. Tilman says, "You know when the grapes are ready to be harvested if the bear ate some of them the night before".

Working Horse wines are carefully crafted to reflect their specific terroir and the passion for the land on which the vines are grown. Each vintage is created with fruit that is nurtured by the winemaker to uniquely represent the best properties of that harvest year.

epicure /,epi, kjur/ (noun) a person who takes particular pleasure in fine food and drink – Canadian Oxford Dictionary

At Working Horse Winery we take great pride in our ability to offer more than organic wine. By expanding our farm to include extensive organic gardens, we can offer guests a feast for their culinary and enologic senses.

A special focus on food and wine pairing will include cooking classes, sensory education and development. Education doesn’t need to be complicated; it can be as simple as a sensuous walk through the vineyards, vegetable and herb gardens, enjoying a swing in a hammock or going to feed the chickens.

The garden and vineyard programs at the farm are experimenting with growing once-forgotten heritage varietals. Tilman (pioneer of the first winery restaurant in British Columbia) and his partner Sara Norman are dedicated to supporting local and organic growers. We feel that our farm is a great example of a sustainable lifestyle through its diversification.