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.
Paul’s Voice: Redefining influence
Today, the world is starving for wisdom. That wisdom can be found in the form of a new book that describes the unconscious reasons we do what we do.
Juno nominated Oliver Swain performing with On Root Project
Oliver Swain, a Juno and WCMA nominated Americana and Folk-Noir musician, headlines this Saturday, March 3 at Milkcrate Records, Kelowna, in support of the On Root Project. Swain is joined by musicians Leila Neverland and Sandy McAfee. The On Root Project was founded...
Carnival Craze in Vernon
From smaller business-oriented gatherings to major events, winter is a busy time of year. The Vernon Winter Carnival has been going strong for 58 years. It’s known as the largest winter carnival in the west. Community dedication has been the secret to its success,...
Indigenous carving course takes shape at Okanagan College
An internationally renowned master carver and Indigenous artist is setting up shop at Okanagan College this winter to pass on the traditional skills and knowledge he has honed over a 25-year career working with wood. Darren McKenzie is a Cree and Métis artist from...
Hundreds from across Canada come to Kelowna in early February
Gold Medal Plates Kelowna is becoming a farm-to-table culinary destination, no matter what season. The city has been host to the Canadian Culinary Championships (CCC), affectionately known as Gold Medal Plates, since 2004 and has helped to generate over...
Construction begins on tower in downtown Kelowna
Construction has commenced on the 36-storey East Tower at ONE Water Street in downtown Kelowna. Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran threw the lever that started up the heavy equipment that will imbed the piles into the ground for the East Tower’s foundation. “City Council is...
