After 37 years in the wine industry, Howard Soon said it was the magic age for him to retire.

The master winemaker at Sandhill Wines has won numerous awards for his wines, most recently, the Howard Soon Red 2014 earned red wine of the year at the 2017 All Canadian Wine Championships.

鈥淚 always say the wine won the award. We have a team of five winemakers, in fact we all taste the wine together,鈥� he said.

The 65-year-old could stay longer, but he wants personal time to spend with his wife. Currently, Soon is the longest serving winemaker in Canada.

鈥淵es, I could stay longer, but it鈥檚 a good time to jump aside. My wife has always put up sacrifices and personal time,鈥� he said.

He has four children, three of whom were born and raised in 91大黄鸭.

Soon started in the industry by working with Labatts Brewery for five years in Winnipeg, before moving to the Okanagan and knocking on the door of Calona Wines in 1980.

He started as a quality control supervisor, before becoming a wine maker in 1989.

鈥淭he (wine) perspective is different from beer and I love it, it鈥檚 all agricultural,鈥� said Soon.

Wine is dependent on Mother Nature, if you don鈥檛 have good grapes one season, you have to wait a year for the next batch, he said.

Soon鈥檚 attention to detail and his enjoyment of working with people has allowed him to excel in his position. Wine is always on his mind.

鈥淚 think one of my strengths is bringing across 鈥榳hat is wine?鈥� to the public,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think I鈥檇 like to say I鈥檓 an interpreter.鈥�

It鈥檚 not about the gold medals, he said, it鈥檚 about the taste. As a mentor for younger winemakers, he gives advice and asks them questions, training them to become independent thinkers while tasting wine with them.

鈥淭o be a successful winemaker, you have a vision of what you want to do,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have to love this work so much, you鈥檇 pay to do it.鈥�

Soon said his biggest accomplishment in the industry has been Sandhill鈥檚 dedicated single vineyard wines which may have defined 鈥渢erroir鈥� in B.C.

鈥淭erroir (a French term) is defined as having a sense of place, which means where is the grape grown and you can taste that in the wine,鈥� said Soon.

鈥淗is non-interventionist approach has led to countless awards and accolades, including the Founder鈥檚 Award from the 1998 Okanagan Wine Festival, the first B.C. winemaker to receive a gold medal at the Chardonnay du Monde in France and most notably a clean sweep at the 2009 Canadian Wine Awards with Best Red and Best White wine of show and best Canadian winery,鈥� reads a Sandhill Wines release.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of anyone who has had a more profound impact on the Canadian wine industry than Howard Soon. For those of us who know and believe that great wines are made in the vineyard, Howard has been our passionate crusader and proof point,鈥� said John Peller of Andrew Peller Ltd.

Soon also has a great love for the symphony and sits on the Okanagan Symphony board of directors. He practices piano once a week. He retires July 24.