Farming With Intention: The Story Behind Kalala & Little Straw Wineries

There’s a quiet humility about Karnail Singh Sidhu that almost catches you off guard.

In an industry that often celebrates accolades, craftsmanship and experience, the founder and winemaker behind Kalala Organic Estate Winery and Little Straw Vineyards speaks instead about family, health, harmony and caring for the land. For Karnail, wine was never about wealth.

“Farming is a lifestyle, it’s not a business,” he says simply.

That philosophy has shaped every part of his journey, from immigrating to Canada in the early 1990s to becoming one of the Okanagan’s most respected organic growers and winemakers. Born and raised in the farming villages of Punjab, India, Karnail originally studied electrical engineering before moving to Canada in 1993 with his family. But like many immigrants, he quickly discovered that foreign credentials didn’t easily translate into opportunity.

“Everybody asked for Canadian experience,” he recalls. “But you can’t get experience until someone gives you a job.”

So he returned to what he knew best: farming. After working in vineyards and learning under respected Okanagan winemaker Alan Marks, Karnail slowly immersed himself in viticulture and winemaking, eventually launching Kalala Organic Estate Winery more than two decades ago.

Karnail’s dedication to organic farming and winemaking has also earned significant industry recognition over the years. In 2019, he was awarded Viticulturist of the Year by the BC Grape Growers’ Association, becoming the first person in British Columbia to receive the honour. His wines have also received international acclaim, with Kalala earning Gold at the prestigious Chardonnay du Monde competition four separate times, consistently placing in the top 10 and taking first place once. The winery is believed to have been the first organic winery to win Gold at the competition.

Beyond the vineyard, Karnail was also recognized as the Male Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016 by the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce, an award reflecting both his business leadership and contributions to the community.

The name “Kalala” carries deep personal meaning. It’s the name of the small village where Karnail was born, a place rooted in a legend about harmony, where a wolf and a lamb were once found sitting peacefully together. The village was renamed to symbolize coexistence and balance. Those same values quietly run through everything Karnail does today.

At Kalala, organic farming isn’t a trend or marketing strategy. It’s a responsibility.

“Land is a gift from future generations,” he says. “We have no right to deplete it.”

He speaks passionately about clean food, chemical-free farming and the connection between what we consume and how we feel.

“Food is like medicine,” he says. “If you eat properly and good food, you can live healthy without taking medicines.”

That mindset extends beyond the vineyard and into every bottle of wine produced at Kalala and Little Straw. Karnail believes many chemicals used in modern agriculture exist for cosmetic reasons rather than necessity, and he’s committed to showing that quality farming can happen naturally.

Even through devastating crop loss and difficult growing seasons, his perspective remains grounded.

“Being from a farming family, those things don’t surprise me,” he says. “The weather we cannot control.”

In 2021, Karnail and his family took over Little Straw Vineyards, another beloved Okanagan winery with deep roots in the community. The transition happened quickly, almost effortlessly, because both families shared similar values.

“The owners wanted the right person,” Karnail explains. “Not just someone with money.”

What they found in Karnail was someone who cared deeply about legacy, people and preserving the heart behind the winery. Today, he oversees both wineries alongside his wife, daughters and a close-knit team he considers family. He’s quick to credit others for his success and openly says every employee’s opinion matters as much as his own.

Karnail laughs when asked how he crafts wine despite rarely drinking alcohol himself. Drawing from his upbringing, he explains that many women in his culture prepare incredible meat dishes without tasting them; he says that passion and intuition can sometimes matter more than consumption itself. While he tastes wines professionally when needed, he relies heavily on aroma, texture and feedback from trusted mentors and peers. Because for Karnail, winemaking has never been about indulgence. It’s about craftsmanship. Care. Intention.

That same intentionality is now shaping the restaurant at Little Straw, where he has worked closely with the culinary team to eliminate preservatives, artificial colouring and flavour enhancers from the menu.

“We are not here to make money,” he says. “Bring people good food.”

Meals are prepared fresh, ingredients are thoughtfully sourced, and future plans include growing much of the restaurant’s produce themselves organically. The philosophy is simple: nourish people well. Perhaps what stands out most about Karnail is not just his work ethic, often working 16-hour days during harvest, but his calmness. His perspective. His refusal to let stress define him.

“If something breaks, I laugh first,” he says with a smile.

He believes mistakes are part of life, that anger helps no one, and that success should never be measured purely financially.

“My success is what difference I can make to anybody else,” he says.

More than anything, Karnail’s approach is grounded in care, for the land, his team, his family and the community he serves. And while Kalala Organic Estate Winery and Little Straw Vineyards may produce exceptional wine, it’s the heart behind them that leaves the most lasting impression.