NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont. — Iconic Canadian winemaker Karl Kaiser passed away Nov. 22 at age 76, following complications from a stroke.
“Dr. Kaiser was a well-respected pioneer in the Ontario grape and wine industry,” The Grape Growers of Ontario said in a statement. “He raised the bar for Ontario wines with his winemaking skill and his contributions to the industry are widely recognized. He will be missed.”
Kaiser moved to Canada from Austria in 1969 and co-founded Inniskillin Wines with Donald Ziraldo in 1975. The pair produced wines that put Canada on the map — raising the bar on the quality and gaining the industry respect.
He is survived by his wife Silvia, three children Magdalena, Andrea (John), Maximilian (Mary Colleen) and seven grandchildren Ryan, Madison, Jacob, Willow, Maximilian, Sophia and Oliver, and by John, father to Maximilian and Oliver.
A celebration of Kaiser’s life will be held on Dec. 8 at The Hare Wine Co., 769 Niagara Stone Road from 5 to 9 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome donations to the Dr. Karl J. Kaiser Memorial Fund at Brock University, Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute.
