Arterra Canada pays tribute to Karl Kaiser, Canadian wine pioneer.

Here at Arterra Wines Canada, we are deeply saddened by the news of the recent passing of Karl Kaiser, co-founder of Inniskillin Wines. Our sincere condolences go out to his wife Silvia, children Magdalena, Andrea and Max, and his seven grandchildren.

Karl was one of the founding fathers of the Canadian Wine Industry, when he, together with his partner Donald Ziraldo, received the first winery license since prohibition and founded Inniskillin in 1975, making it the very first estate winery in Canada.

He graduated from Brock University in biochemistry and applied that knowledge to producing premium wines in the Niagara Peninsula. He embraced our severe winters and viewed them as an opportunity to produce Canadian Icewine. His commitment to the time honoured tradition of winemaking drove him to produce many award-winning wines throughout his career. But, it was the 1991Grand Prix d’Honneur award from VinExpo, Bordeaux for his 1989 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine that became a pivotal moment in his career and in Canada’s wine history.

“Karl was truly a pioneer,” says Arterra Wines Canada president and CEO, Jay Wright. “Karl’s passion for winemaking was integral to the fabric of Inniskillin’s rich 40 plus year history, and he helped shape the Canadian wine industry as we know it today. It is because of Karl’s considerable contributions that Canada is recognized worldwide for our award-winning wines.”

“Karl’s vision to produce superior Canadian wine cannot be overstated,” says Inniskillin Niagara’s current winemaker Bruce Nicholson. “He travelled extensively to expand his knowledge and brought both old world and new world winemaking technologies and their varied applications to Canada. His long list of prestigious awards and accolades for both table wines and Icewine is a testament to his talent and dedication. Whether it was from international competitors, wine media, the wine community at large or his loyal consumers, Karl was truly respected by all.”

For more information from the family; please visit Morgan Funeral Home.

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