By Times Chronicle Staff
Kismet Estate Winery has announced that its Head Winemaker, Manpreet Dhaliwal, has been named to the “30 Under 30 Class of 2026” by the publication BCBusiness.
In its email newsletter, the winner expressed its pride and added, “For our family, this is a really special moment.”
The inclusion in this exclusive list of young BC entrepreneurs is the latest accolade for Dhaliwal, who had no intention of becoming a winemaker.
As the newsletter relates, she trained as a nurse and was working in health care during the COVID-19 pandemic before returning home to help during harvest. What started as a simple act of stepping in to support the family business quickly turned into something much bigger.
Proving to be a quick study, Dhaliwal learned winemaking from the ground up, and in 2023, at just 26 years of age, became Head Winemaker at Kismet.
“Since then, she has helped shape an exciting new chapter for our winery with a steady, thoughtful approach in the cellar and a clear vision for where Kismet is headed next.”
Under her leadership, recent vintages have earned recognition across multiple releases, including Phulkari Rosé, Cabernet Franc Reserve, Moksha, Sitara Frizzante, and Mantra. And the newsletter also notes the winery has experienced a steady rise in guests visiting the winery, and more people joining its wine club.
“Being named to BCBusiness 30 Under 30 is such an honour, especially because this work is so connected to family, place, and the people who support us,” says Dhaliwal. “I’m proud of what we’ve built so far, and even more excited about what’s ahead this season as we release new wines and welcome guests back to the winery and Manzil.”
