It91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e always looking for skilled people from other countries, but when the skilled people come here they very quickly learn that they don91裸聊视频檛 recognize their credentials. It91裸聊视频檚 still happening today.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚 started actively looking for work at different wineries and in 91裸聊视频�96 I was hired by Summerhill. That91裸聊视频檚 where I worked for ten years.91裸聊视频�

Sidhu fell in love with the Okanagan91裸聊视频檚 wine industry and during a lunch with his brothers decided to start a venture of his own.

91裸聊视频淲e saw the bottles and at that time they were around $15 and we thought it91裸聊视频檚 not a bad idea to start a winery, you91裸聊视频檙e just selling juice. For $15 a bottle, that91裸聊视频檚 a good deal.91裸聊视频�

That is how Kalala Organic Estate Winery on West Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淭here are always challenges. But one of the biggest challenges we91裸聊视频檝e had, we opened the winery during a recession,91裸聊视频� Sidhu said. 91裸聊视频淚 think the whole industry, what it91裸聊视频檚 facing now91裸聊视频� It91裸聊视频檚 really hard to get any local workforce and the biggest challenge is getting young farmers.91裸聊视频�

And when it comes to fires, floods, extreme heat and other weather events, Sidhu said it91裸聊视频檚 all part of the organic process.

91裸聊视频淭o me being organic means we try to stay as close as we can to nature. It doesn91裸聊视频檛 bother me. Things happen, it91裸聊视频檚 nature. If it91裸聊视频檚 beyond your control, don91裸聊视频檛 worry about it. You can try to manipulate whatever you can to do your best. That91裸聊视频檚 my attitude.91裸聊视频�

Sidhu said you can complain all you want, but it isn91裸聊视频檛 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.

91裸聊视频淚 think education makes you think broadly and think critically and whichever field you pick you will be successful.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚 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.91裸聊视频�

To Sidhu, success isn91裸聊视频檛 about the financial gain, 91裸聊视频渋t91裸聊视频檚 what you learn in those years.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淭o me, the company is the same as like other sports companies. All the players aren91裸聊视频檛 going to win, they are all good but some win and some lose91裸聊视频� I can91裸聊视频檛 say it91裸聊视频檚 only the best player who wins it. They91裸聊视频檙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.91裸聊视频�

The first award-winning wine from Kalala came the same year it opened to the public. In 2008, the winery won a People91裸聊视频檚 Choice Award with its Pinot Gris.

91裸聊视频淵ou do get excited when it91裸聊视频檚 the very first one. I don91裸聊视频檛 get excited too much, and sometimes my wife complains,91裸聊视频� Sidhu laughed. 91裸聊视频淏ut it is a nice feeling the first time you91裸聊视频檙e in and win, people like your wine, that91裸聊视频檚 an enjoyable moment.91裸聊视频�

The awards are just a small part of why Sidhu loves what he does. He said it91裸聊视频檚 ultimately the people that make it all worthwhile.

91裸聊视频淲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. It91裸聊视频檚 great to meet the different people from all different corners of the world and it91裸聊视频檚 very satisfying when people love your product.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淐oming from another country, a different culture and different language, I think it91裸聊视频檚 very fulfilling and I91裸聊视频檓 proud to be in the situation I am in today.91裸聊视频�