Big Enough to Care: How Iconic Wineries Balances Scale and Integrity

Scout is all about backing the “little guys”: independent restaurants, breweries, and wineries. These small businesses provide more than what meets the eye, going beyond basic transactional encounters to become critical spaces for simple, human moments that make them essential parts of their local F&B community. In a landscape increasingly dominated by scale and efficiency, their hustle, grit, responsibility to the environment, and commitment to their craft make them worth fighting for.

When businesses scale up, the contrast between the “little” and “big” guys becomes clear. For me, this is the point where a choice becomes necessary. Larger businesses often seem to prioritize productivity over accountability and profit margins over community care. Tight-knit teams evolve into rigid hierarchies, and original values are discarded in favour of maximizing returns. The effects ripple through communities — not because jobs vanish, but because the relationship between businesses and the people they serve begins to weaken. Local character gives way to uniformity, small suppliers are pushed aside by larger ones with lower prices, and decisions are made in distant boardrooms, detached from the neighbourhoods they impact. You get my point.

The most maddening part of this is that small independent businesses — the ones with personal responsibility to their communities and real accountability — “play fair” (prioritizing fair wages, buying locally, and utilizing environmentally responsible practices, all of which cost more and make profit margins slimmer) but fight a much tougher battle for survival. These operators shoulder the weight of doing things “right” – and often end up being punished for it.

It’s this dynamic that makes it virtually impossible for me to respect or care about companies that put profit over principles.

So when I got the invite to Mission Hill Family Estate and CedarCreek Estate Winery in late spring of last year (2024), I had my reservations. Iconic Wineries of BC (a group representing seven Okanagan wineries; formerly Von Mandl Family Wineries) isn’t exactly “small”. In addition to Mission Hill and CedarCreek, they’ve got CheckMate, Liquidity, Road 13, Red Barn, and Martin’s Lane under their belt, amounting to some serious square acreage churning out a high volume of bottles each year. By all accounts, “Big League” stuff.

While reflecting on the ethics of accepting the invitation, my perspective on chains and corporations was challenged by someone I respected who suggested I might benefit from seeing them in a different light and resisting the urge to dismiss “the big guys” (an identity I instinctively view with a certain level of suspicion) outright. Besides, many chains and corporations start with humble beginnings – shouldn’t I appreciate their success and respect the business acumen it takes to scale to that level? And all of my previous personal experiences with both the wine and the restaurant at Mission Hill had been positive, after all… So, in the end I decided to go. Although admittedly still unable to fully shake my prejudices and perceptions, I was now determined to keep an open mind.

Community and Food Security:
Keeping It Local

Travelling with a small team of journalists on the way to Mission Hill, we stopped at Wise Earth Farm, a two-acre, family-run urban vegetable farm located in Kelowna. Wise Earth uses organic practices (no chemicals or shortcuts – just soil, water, and some serious effort) to grow everything from greens and herbs, to root veggies and microgreens.

We were there because Mission Hill works directly with Wise Earth. By providing regular, reliable orders, the winery gives the farm the stability it needs to plan and grow — and that benefits all of us. Stability for farmers – especially those committed to environmental responsibility – is something we should all want, and Mission Hill is backing that commitment in a tangible way.

During lunch at Mission Hill Restaurant, Executive Chef Patrick Gayler explained how sourcing from small local farms is part of their overall approach and not just a “handshake deal” or some corporate fluff to make the menu look “artisanal” – a real partnership. As a result, the farms get to thrive, and Mission Hill gets top-tier, fresh-as-hell ingredients in return. “We find out what is amazing and why as it’s happening,” says Chef Gayler. “Rather than having a preconceived idea of what you want something to be, once you embrace the dynamic nature of the farming and ingredients you can really showcase the variety and quality…We receive a weekly fresh list from the farm that is always changing, but that doesn’t even come close to truly keeping us updated on what’s happening every day on the farm. Going there is the only way to really get a good idea.”

By investing in local suppliers like Wise Earth, Mission Hill also keeps money in the regional economy, supports food security, and strengthens the bond between agriculture and winemaking. This isn’t the cheapest or easiest way to do business. Most big companies wouldn’t bother, but Mission Hill does, and that says a lot about their priorities.

Soil:
Regenerating the Future

Iconic Wineries of British Columbia has embraced sustainability and regenerative agriculture as central to its winemaking approach. Since 2017, they’ve converted 100% of their vineyards to organic farming, establishing the Okanagan Valley as a global leader in certified organic vineyards.

This isn’t just about earning an organic label; it’s about restoring soil health, boosting biodiversity, and creating a sustainable ecosystem. “When we have healthy, robust soils, they can act as a buffer to extreme weather,” explains Taylor Whelan, Mission Hill’s Senior Winemaker and an ecologist by training. “Soils with lots of organic matter can hold more moisture, and soils with more life can support the vine by transporting that water to their root systems. There’s an underground ecology we’re only beginning to understand, and it’s amazing to see how healthy soils directly support healthy vines.”

The impact is evident in each of Iconic’s five vineyards. Whelan observes a “profusion of life” returning: “Bears, coyotes, insects, wildflowers — but the most noticeable are the birds. Since embarking on the organic program, the diversity of birds in the vineyard has increased dramatically. I’ve seen everything from Red Tail Hawks to Goshawks to American Kestrels, alongside dozens of songbird varieties making themselves at home.”

It’s not entirely altruistic. Eventually, depleted soil doesn’t grow grapes — a fact you’d think would be obvious, yet plenty of big players still take shortcuts without regard for the health of the land. Iconic Wineries’ full commitment to regenerative practices makes them stand out, and the rewards extend beyond the ecosystem. The benefits show up in the wines via lower alcohol levels, refined tannins, and a balance of finesse and flavour. As Whelan puts it, “These are more elegant, quaffable wines that still pack serious flavour.”

In short, healthier soil means stronger vines, better fruit, and vineyards better equipped to face climate change. With Iconic Wineries’ vast acreage, their efforts influence the larger ecosystem, setting an example for others in their winery weight category to step up and follow this model. It’s a simple truth: the land thrives when stewards like these make the long-term investment.

People:
The Backbone of the Business

Time and again, I heard from staff and locals that Mission Hill is a place where people feel valued. Fair wages, solid benefits, and a culture that respects its team — it’s all baked into how they operate. Big corporations don’t usually have a great track record with people, but Iconic Wineries is flipping the script. And it works. Happy employees stick around, leading to less turnover, better results, and a motivated team that delivers a superior experience for guests. It’s “Hospitality 101”: take care of your people, and they’ll take care of your business. Yet, it’s a principle that’s too often ignored. Iconic Wineries takes it seriously, and for me, that commitment is what makes the rest of their efforts feel genuine. Without it, the rest would just feel like a calculated business move.

It’s easy to write off large wine operations as profit-driven machines – soulless juggernauts disconnected from the land, the product, and the communities they claim to serve. But when I visited Mission Hill Family Estate I found a story that challenged those assumptions.

Here, partnerships with local farms (like Wise Earth in Kelowna) illustrate their commitment to supporting the regional economy and food security. As Executive Chef Patrick Gayler puts it, their approach isn’t just about sourcing fresh ingredients; it’s about creating a partnership that benefits everyone involved. “You can’t be a small producer without loads of energy and optimism; it’s contagious,” he said. This ethos is echoed in their regenerative farming practices, which have transformed the Okanagan Valley into a leader in certified organic vineyards, proving that sustainable winemaking can thrive on a large scale.

Under the leadership of owner Anthony von Mandl, Iconic Wineries shows that growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of character or community. Instead, it can amplify positive impact. They’ve built something big without losing the values that make them relevant, respected, and worth paying attention to. Proving that, sometimes, the “big guys” can surprise you.