Burrowing Owl has announced it has acquired “the tremendously popular Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery located in Okanagan Falls, just South of Penticton, BC.”
From the release:
“We are very excited about this acquisition,” stated Chris Wyse, President of Burrowing Owl Vineyards Ltd. and son of Burrowing Owl’s Founder and Proprietor, Jim Wyse. “We have been looking at various opportunities to grow our business over the past few years, and we feel that Wild Goose is a perfect fit for us. We appreciate the family heritage and history of Wild Goose, as well as the excellent quality of the vineyards and products, and the strength of reputation and brand that the Kruger family has built since 1984.”
l-r: Hagen Kruger, Chris Wyse, Alex Kruger, Kerri Wyse-McNolty, Roland Kruger, Jim Wyse, Nikolas Kruger. This is a great shot! If you look carefully you’ll see that the Wyse family is holding red wines and the Kruger family white wines.
The new owners plan a ‘hands-off’ style of management that will allow Wild Goose’s founding Kruger family to continue their involvement in the business at all levels. The team includes founder Adolf Kruger’s youngest son, Roland Kruger, and Roland’s nephews Nikolas Kruger (Winemaker) and Alex Kruger (Vineyard Supervisor).
The Wyse family says it “also values the commitment to ongoing consulting support from Nikolas’s and Alex’s father, and longtime Wild Goose Winemaker, Hagen Kruger, as they continue to craft the well-respected Pacific Northwest style whites, and cool climate reds, that Wild Goose fans have to come to know and love since the winery’s inception.”
This looks like a strong match that will prove beneficial to both parties.
With Wild Goose wines originating mainly from vineyards North of MacIntyre Bluff and Burrowing Owl’s wines coming primarily from south of Oliver. “It’s really a perfect marriage for B.C. wine consumers,” says Chris Wyse.
“Our team of long-time staff are really looking forward to becoming part of the larger Burrowing Owl team,” says Wild Goose GM Roland Kruger. “They can’t wait to get started working collaboratively in the vineyard, in the cellars, and in hospitality. It’s been great to see the team’s reaction to, and excitement for, this transaction.”
It’s been a challenging couple of years for Wild Goose, ever since controlling interest was purchased by Vancouver developer PortLiving, in 2019. This sale adds up to the best possible scenario, preserving the winery and its family run team intact in collaboration with another pioneering Okanagan wine family.
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