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 Art Gallery seeks volunteers for school tour program
The Kelowna Art Gallery is currently recruiting volunteer docents (tour guides) for their 2017/18 School Tour program. These volunteers lead students on exhibition tours, facilitate discussions about what they see, and help out with hands-on art activities. Interested...
BC shines at the 3rd Annual Judgment of BC Wine Tasting
The wines of British Columbia were put to the ultimate test at the third annual Judgment of BC on Friday, August 18, pitting 12 BC Wines against 12 acknowledged global benchmarks. BC's CheckMate Black Rook Merlot 2013 from the Okanagan Valley ranked first among the...
The Multiplier Effect: Why you should include print magazines in media mix
A new study finds the inclusion of print magazines in media mix drives purchase intent. Survey Says: brands in print = more reader trust. Adding print magazines to any other media channel delivers stronger consumer brand affinity and purchase intent, greater than any...
Parks Alive! partnerships bring more Canada 150 free concerts to community
Thanks to new partnerships with local arts organizations, Kelowna resid ents and visitors will enjoy two very special free concert events this month featuring world class JUNO nominees and Order of Canada recipients as part of the ongoing Sesquicentennial celebrations...
Helping endangered owl, Burrowing Owl’s charitable contributions soar past $1 million
The Okanagan's Burrowing Owl Estate Winery is proud to announce a milestone in its support of charitable organizations including the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC. As of August 1, 2017 the winery had raised $1.02 million, which has benefited not only the...
World wine award for Mission Hill Pinot Noir – 95 points
Mission Hill is proud to announce that their 2015 Terroir Collection No. 43 Reflection Point Pinot Noir has earned the title of ‘Best Canadian Pinot Noir’ and ‘Best Canadian Red Wine’ at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards held in London, UK. The Pinot Noir...
