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.
Winter in Wine Country
Decorated trees will be on display at Black Hills Estate Winery, Nk’Mip Cellars, Oliver Twist Estate Winery and Tinhorn Creek Vineyards throughout the holiday season and voting for the best tree is encouraged with a small donation.
Royal Canadian Legion Kelowna donates $100,000 to JoeAnna’s House
The RCL donates $100,000 to go specifically towards JoeAnna’s House, a home away from home for the families of patients who must travel to KGH for advanced medical care.
Five reasons to move to the Okanagan
Feel the sand between your toes and the laptop at your fingertips. Your daily commute is short — say goodbye to traffic jams and the daily rat race.
Seventy local artists’ work presented at Kelowna Art Gallery
Over 70local artists answered the call to submit a work for inclusion in this year’s annual members’ exhibition at the Kelowna Art Gallery that is on display free for the public until January 13.
Beer tasting course coming to the Okanagan
Award-winning beer brewmaster Stefan Buhl is serving up a guided tasting course in the Okanagan.
Built Green Canada sustainability projects in the Okanagan
Green projects are at the intersection of affordability and sustainability. Buying a home is far less attainable than it once was, making an affordable, quality rentals an attractive option.
