Retirement is not an option for Donald Triggs, a key player in the blossoming of Canada’s modern wine industry and co-owner of soon-to-be launched Culmina Family Estate Winery.
A native of rural Manitoba, representing the sixth generation on the family farm, Don left the nest to complete a degree in agriculture from the University of Manitoba and an MBA at Western. He started his career in Ontario doing sales and marketing with Colgate Palmolive. In 1972 he moved to John Labatt’s wine division where his experience ranged from fixing troubled sectors of winery operations to running large wine producers in Canada and abroad.
In the hope of staying in Canada with his family, Don joined Fisions PLC based in Vancouver, taking their troubled North American horticultural division from money loser to industry leader. With the 1989 North American Free Trade Agreement around the corner, Don risked everything. He joined forces with Alan Jackson and former Labatt colleagues who pooled their life savings to buy the brewer’s wine division.
Renamed Vincor International with Don as CEO, it grew to become the biggest wine enterprise in Canada and seventh largest in the world. When Constellation Brands US acquired Vincor in 2006, Don resigned and set out to build Culmina with wife Elaine as partner and daughter Sara as sales and marketing manager.
Don has lured Bordeaux-trained Pascal Madevon (formerly winemaker at Osoyoos Larose) to the promising scenario at Culmina.
Read more of the original stories celebrated in our 30th-anniversary issue.
Food for thought
“I eat, therefore I am.” Descartes didn’t say that—I stole it from him and paraphrased just a bit. As a pithy epigram it’s true in so many ways. But the one that concerns me, and what I know for certain, is great meals make great memories. The link between the two is...
Hundred of Youngsters to Parade at Penticton PeachFest
The 68th annual Penticton Peach Festival promises five days of free, family fun. On Sunday, August 9, hundreds of youngsters with their bicycles, tricycles, wagons and colourful costumes will be escorted to the park by the Penticton Fire Dept., the Cranbrook Girls’...
Artography featured at Kelowna’s Rotary Centre for the Arts
A new artist will be appearing at Kelowna's Rotary Art Centre in the month of July. Suzanne Williams will be having her first Art Show running from July 2 to 31. Ser work will be joined by Stu Dale and their art will be purchasable directly from the Art gallery....
Local Ballerina Soars into First Place at Performing Arts BC
You might think Clare Fleming has wings tucked into her shoes, the way she effortlessly flies into the splits mid-uthorir. But no, there are no wings, just hours and hours and hours of training tucked under her belt that helped her soar to the top at the Performing...
UBC protecting drinking water on Okanagan cattle grazing lands
Cattle, recreational users may be cause of damage to drinking water supplies Researchers at UBC’s Okanagan campus are working with local ranchers and stakeholders to determine the best way to protect drinking water on cattle grazing lands. Engineering Professor and...
$100,000 to New Surgical Centre
John Kot, president of Kelowna Hyundai and Buy Direct Truck Centre has announced a $100,000 donation towards the Be a Lifesaver campaign, raising funds for the new Interior Heart & Surgical Centre (IHSC). To date the campaign has raised $10.8 million towards...
