The Oliver Osoyoos Branch of the OHS hosted the valley Wide AGM Sunday at the Silver Sage Winery.  John and Lynn Bremmer giving a presentation on The Evolution of the Grape and Wine Industry in the Okanagan Valley.

Two highlights: Life Membership given to Larry Shannon (right) for his efforts on behalf of the Okanagan Historical Society.

First of a number parts to the history presentation:

History of wine in South Okanagan

1) Vinitera Winery

In 1979 Joe Poturica started Vinitera Winery on Road 11 south of Oliver.  He sold it in 1982 to a Vancouver car dealer, who sold it again in 1987 to Alan Tyabji who renamed it Okanagan Vineyards winery. It was purchased in 1996 by Inniskillin, now owned by Constellation Brands. Production has been moved to the Jackson-Triggs winery north of Oliver.

2) Brights Winery

In 1980 the Osoyoos Indian band built a winery near the Inkameep vineyard north of Oliver and leased it to Brights Wines, an established winery in Ontario.  Brights later purchased Ste. Michelle wines in Surrey and moved their production to the Brights winery.  Brights was subsequently purchased by Vincor in 1993, which also purchased Casabello Winery in Penticton.  It is presently owned by Constellation Brands, one of the largest winery conglomerates in the world, and goes under the name Jackson-Triggs.

3) Divino Estate Winery

Joe Busnardo planted grapes on this Road 8 site in 1968, ignoring advice to plant hybrid grapes and instead planted only vinifera, then rare in the Okanagan.  He opened his winery here in 1983, selling the property and winery in 1996 to Valterra Wines Ltd. and moving to Cobble Hill on the island, taking the Divino name with him.  Valterra changed the name to Hester Creek Winery. In 2004 Valterra declared bankruptcy and the winery was sold to Curt Garland, a trucking magnate from Prince George.

1979:
Inniskillin Okanagan Estate Winery – 1979 (originally started as Vinitera Winery by Poturica, sold in 1982 to a Vancouver car dealer, sold again in 1987 to Tyabji and renamed Okanagan Vineyards winery; purchased in 1996 by Inniskillin, now owned by Constellation Brands and winemaking is done at J-T north of Oliver)

1980’s:

Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estates – 1981 (formerly Brights Wines then Vincor purchased it in 1993 and in 2006 purchased by Constellation Brands)

Hester Creek Estate – 1983 (formerly Divino Estate winery, now owned by Curt Garland)

Gehringer Brothers Estate – 1986 (Gehringer brothers, founded by their father & uncle, also brothers)