ItB次元官网网址檚 no secret that many who immigrate to Canada cannot find work in their chosen field from their home country.

That was a reality Karnail Singh Sidhu faced when he brought his family from India to the Okanagan in 1993.

Sidhu was a qualified electrical engineer back in Punjab and had worked for a company he compared to BC Hydro, but Canada refused to recognize his credentials.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e always looking for skilled people from other countries, but when the skilled people come here they very quickly learn that they donB次元官网网址檛 recognize their credentials. ItB次元官网网址檚 still happening today.B次元官网网址�

Not being able to work as an engineer, Sidhu went back to his family roots of organic farming.

B次元官网网址淚 started actively looking for work at different wineries and in B次元官网网址�96 I was hired by Summerhill. ThatB次元官网网址檚 where I worked for ten years.B次元官网网址�

Sidhu fell in love with the OkanaganB次元官网网址檚 wine industry and during a lunch with his brothers decided to start a venture of his own.

B次元官网网址淲e saw the bottles and at that time they were around $15 and we thought itB次元官网网址檚 not a bad idea to start a winery, youB次元官网网址檙e just selling juice. For $15 a bottle, thatB次元官网网址檚 a good deal.B次元官网网址�

That is how Kalala Organic Estate Winery on West KelownaB次元官网网址檚 upper bench was born.

Kalala started making wine in 2006 and opened to the public with a wine shop and tasting room on June 5, 2008.

The winery focuses on organic practises and has 20 labels including reds, whites, roses and icewines. Kalala also produces various orchard-pressed fruit juices.

Having worked in the wine industry for several years, Sidhu was no stranger to the difficulties the Okanagan would pose in the vineyard.

B次元官网网址淭here are always challenges. But one of the biggest challenges weB次元官网网址檝e had, we opened the winery during a recession,B次元官网网址� Sidhu said. B次元官网网址淚 think the whole industry, what itB次元官网网址檚 facing nowB次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 really hard to get any local workforce and the biggest challenge is getting young farmers.B次元官网网址�

And when it comes to fires, floods, extreme heat and other weather events, Sidhu said itB次元官网网址檚 all part of the organic process.

B次元官网网址淭o me being organic means we try to stay as close as we can to nature. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 bother me. Things happen, itB次元官网网址檚 nature. If itB次元官网网址檚 beyond your control, donB次元官网网址檛 worry about it. You can try to manipulate whatever you can to do your best. ThatB次元官网网址檚 my attitude.B次元官网网址�

Sidhu said you can complain all you want, but it isnB次元官网网址檛 going to make things change.

Proud of the organic focus of the winery, Kalala regularly engages in research projects on organic vineyards and winemaking technology.

Sidhu uses a lot of knowledge from his engineering background in his current business path.

B次元官网网址淚 think education makes you think broadly and think critically and whichever field you pick you will be successful.B次元官网网址�

Despite the difficulties faced in the business, Sidhu claimed no year is a bad year as long as you learn something.

B次元官网网址淚 always say one thing and I tell my kids this too, you go to school to learn not to be something. You will be whoever you want to be later if you learn a lot in school. What you learn in school you can apply to your life everywhere.B次元官网网址�

To Sidhu, success isnB次元官网网址檛 about the financial gain, B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 what you learn in those years.B次元官网网址�

Since the business opened, Kalala has received several awards for its wines at many different levels of competition.

B次元官网网址淭o me, the company is the same as like other sports companies. All the players arenB次元官网网址檛 going to win, they are all good but some win and some loseB次元官网网址� I canB次元官网网址檛 say itB次元官网网址檚 only the best player who wins it. TheyB次元官网网址檙e all the best, they came there because they are the best. All the wine we make in the Okanagan, I think we make very good wine and we make world-class wine. We should not hesitate to compete anywhere in the world with an Okanagan wine.B次元官网网址�

The first award-winning wine from Kalala came the same year it opened to the public. In 2008, the winery won a PeopleB次元官网网址檚 Choice Award with its Pinot Gris.

B次元官网网址淵ou do get excited when itB次元官网网址檚 the very first one. I donB次元官网网址檛 get excited too much, and sometimes my wife complains,B次元官网网址� Sidhu laughed. B次元官网网址淏ut it is a nice feeling the first time youB次元官网网址檙e in and win, people like your wine, thatB次元官网网址檚 an enjoyable moment.B次元官网网址�

The awards are just a small part of why Sidhu loves what he does. He said itB次元官网网址檚 ultimately the people that make it all worthwhile.

B次元官网网址淲e have people from all over the world and you learn a lot about different cultures. In my case, people ask lots of questions about me, too. I do look different than most of the industry. ItB次元官网网址檚 great to meet the different people from all different corners of the world and itB次元官网网址檚 very satisfying when people love your product.B次元官网网址�

Kalala currently has four vineyards in the Okanagan equalling over 41 acres. Sidhu said they purchased Little Straw Vineyards from the Slamka family when they retired in November 2021.

B次元官网网址淐oming from another country, a different culture and different language, I think itB次元官网网址檚 very fulfilling and IB次元官网网址檓 proud to be in the situation I am in today.B次元官网网址�