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.
Investment in Okanagan recreational property growing
Significant price increases in the Lower Mainland are encouraging buyers to invest in Okanagan recreational property, shows the results from the 2016 RE/MAX Recreational Property Report. Soon-to-be retirees are purchasing their future homes now in order to take...
Shopping spree for Okanagan Junior Chefs
Students shop at Urban Fare for sparkling reception A top grocer in Kelowna, Urban Fare, is lending support to the junior chefs from the Okanagan Chefs Association and Okanagan College as they pair up during the sparkling reception at the annual culinary event, Earth...
Here comes summer! Okanagan summer camps
No longer defined by canoes and crafts, drafty cabins and spidery pit toilets, summer camps for kids have evolved into a smorgasbord of opportunities. Here are a few possibilities to inspire the future celebs, super athletes and scientists of the Okanagan. The...
Get ready for Family Fishing Weekend
June 17-19 BC residents can fish for free without a fishing licence — such programs give volunteers a chance to teach kids to fish With his face screwed up in concentration, the small boy held his fishing rod up in the air and then flung it forward, where its tip...
Okanagan Falls: Wine, Tacos & Live Music in the Vineyard
Congrats to Tacos Del Norte - voted Best Mexican in the Okanagan Life 2016 Best Restaurants awards. Join them this at Saturday, June 18 at 5:00 PM at Meyer Family Vineyards. [downloads ids="135707" columns="1"]
Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club hosting Mackenzie Tour
Sturgeon leads suspended GolfBC Championship South Carolina’s Caleb Sturgeon reached 12-under par through nearly two rounds at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club when play was suspended due to darkness at the inaugural GolfBC Championship, the third event of the...