It害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e always looking for skilled people from other countries, but when the skilled people come here they very quickly learn that they don害羞草研究所檛 recognize their credentials. It害羞草研究所檚 still happening today.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淚 started actively looking for work at different wineries and in 害羞草研究所�96 I was hired by Summerhill. That害羞草研究所檚 where I worked for ten years.害羞草研究所�

Sidhu fell in love with the Okanagan害羞草研究所檚 wine industry and during a lunch with his brothers decided to start a venture of his own.

害羞草研究所淲e saw the bottles and at that time they were around $15 and we thought it害羞草研究所檚 not a bad idea to start a winery, you害羞草研究所檙e just selling juice. For $15 a bottle, that害羞草研究所檚 a good deal.害羞草研究所�

That is how Kalala Organic Estate Winery on West Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淭here are always challenges. But one of the biggest challenges we害羞草研究所檝e had, we opened the winery during a recession,害羞草研究所� Sidhu said. 害羞草研究所淚 think the whole industry, what it害羞草研究所檚 facing now害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 really hard to get any local workforce and the biggest challenge is getting young farmers.害羞草研究所�

And when it comes to fires, floods, extreme heat and other weather events, Sidhu said it害羞草研究所檚 all part of the organic process.

害羞草研究所淭o me being organic means we try to stay as close as we can to nature. It doesn害羞草研究所檛 bother me. Things happen, it害羞草研究所檚 nature. If it害羞草研究所檚 beyond your control, don害羞草研究所檛 worry about it. You can try to manipulate whatever you can to do your best. That害羞草研究所檚 my attitude.害羞草研究所�

Sidhu said you can complain all you want, but it isn害羞草研究所檛 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.

害羞草研究所淚 think education makes you think broadly and think critically and whichever field you pick you will be successful.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淚 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.害羞草研究所�

To Sidhu, success isn害羞草研究所檛 about the financial gain, 害羞草研究所渋t害羞草研究所檚 what you learn in those years.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淭o me, the company is the same as like other sports companies. All the players aren害羞草研究所檛 going to win, they are all good but some win and some lose害羞草研究所� I can害羞草研究所檛 say it害羞草研究所檚 only the best player who wins it. They害羞草研究所檙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.害羞草研究所�

The first award-winning wine from Kalala came the same year it opened to the public. In 2008, the winery won a People害羞草研究所檚 Choice Award with its Pinot Gris.

害羞草研究所淵ou do get excited when it害羞草研究所檚 the very first one. I don害羞草研究所檛 get excited too much, and sometimes my wife complains,害羞草研究所� Sidhu laughed. 害羞草研究所淏ut it is a nice feeling the first time you害羞草研究所檙e in and win, people like your wine, that害羞草研究所檚 an enjoyable moment.害羞草研究所�

The awards are just a small part of why Sidhu loves what he does. He said it害羞草研究所檚 ultimately the people that make it all worthwhile.

害羞草研究所淲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. It害羞草研究所檚 great to meet the different people from all different corners of the world and it害羞草研究所檚 very satisfying when people love your product.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淐oming from another country, a different culture and different language, I think it害羞草研究所檚 very fulfilling and I害羞草研究所檓 proud to be in the situation I am in today.害羞草研究所�