One of the owners of St. Hubertus and Oak Bay Estate Winery is stepping back from the business, and passing the torch to the next generation.
Leo Gebert has sold his shares to his brother Andy. He and wife Barb will continue to farm their portion of the 56-acre property and focus on growing sustainable and organic certified grapes, while their son Reto takes over leadership of St. Hubertus Vineyard.
The vineyard has been around for nearly 100 years. Leo and Barb started farming on Kelowna’s South Slopes in 1984.
“The Gebert family’s knowledge and experience help them to cultivate a healthy and beautiful vineyard in spite of the threats of disease and climate change," the winery said in a press release.
"Leo and Barb are looking forward to spending more time volunteering and quality time in their favourite aspect of the industry, the vineyard."
The family was among the first to implement sustainable farming practices in the Central Okanagan. Those innovations included the installation of heat pumps and a large solar panel array well before governments recognized their importance.
St. Hubertus is known for its organic certified grapes, including Chasselas, a varietal that pays tribute to the family’s Swiss roots, and its old vine Riesling, which was planted 45 years ago.
