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.
Kelowna Crisis Line – 250.763.9191
The Crisis Line is taking applications for the next training session that runs Feb. 7 to Feb. 18. If you want to volunteer call Lynne at 250.763.8058 ext. 233 or email crisisline@kcr.ca. Space is limited and interviews are on NOW! Read more about Crisis Line volunteer Maria Boruta…
Not a Grannie’s Tale
It’s a cold winter evening. I gather my jacket around me, tucking my hands into its folds and shrugging my shoulders to block the wind from my neck. I scurry into a warmly lit store, and see a table circled by eager 20-somethings, chatting and laughing as they pull out their supplies….
Community Activist Hannah Paracholski
“I feel like we were put on this planet to help one another,” says Hannah Paracholski a 14-year-old Vernon Secondary School student. “I think we should go out of our way to do so whether the person is next door or far away.” When Hannah sets her mind to something…
Golden Mile Sub Appellation
When sub-appellations are named in the Okanagan, the Golden Mile Bench between Oliver and Osoyoos is on track to be among the first (along with the Black Sage and Naramata benches). Highlighting the individuality of the wines, sub-appellations are part of the evolution of a mature wine region—and much coveted by wineries.
Hockey Valley
No question we’re obsessed with the national sport. Check out our Okanagan hockey highlights …
Curling: Our Other Ice Sport
When Mom warned you not to throw stones, she wasn’t talking about this popular Okanagan winter-buster ... When you see the portrait of James Cameron Dun-Waters (the Okanagan’s early 20th century answer to Scottish landed gentry) on the cover of Stan Sauerwein’s book...
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