Charles Casorso and Mary Elizabeth McCunnin

Charles Henry Casorso was born on September 1, 1882 in Tonco, Asti, Piemonte, Italy, to parents Giovanni and Rosa Casorso. He travelled to Kelowna, BC, in 1884 with his mother, Rosa and two siblings: Caroline and Anthony. 

In the early 1900s, Charles, with his brother, Antonio, were charged with herding cattle to the mining camps, such as Fairview, in the Okanagan, and McKinney, in the Kootenays. Charles was also sent to Calgary, by the Casorso Brothers, to establish new markets for their onions and other produce. It was in Calgary that he met his future wife, Mary Elizabeth McCunnin. Mary was born on December, 31, 1888, in Dublin Ireland.

Charles was one of the early Belgo farmers to experiment with growing onions and tobacco. In 1925, he planted a vineyard, of the labrusca variety of grapes, on a 35-acre property in the Belgo area. In 1930, his two brothers, Pete and Louis, planted the 45-acre vineyard on Casorso Road that now supplies the Sperling Vineyards winery with Marechal Foch, Riesling and several other Vinifera varieties.

In 1931, the Casorso Brothers, led by Mary and Pete Casorso, John Maggiora and Joseph Ghezzi formed a syndicate, the Interior Co-operative Association, to launch Kelowna’s first winery. Later investors, Pasquale (Cap) Capozzi and W.A.C. Bennett, with vintner Giuseppe (Joseph) Ghezzi, turned this into Calona Wines. It is BC's oldest continually operating winery, now operating as Sandhill Winery.
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Charles lived in Calgary since 1932. He was a member of the Holy Name Society, and St. Mary's Cathedral. He died at age 81 years, after a lengthy illness. He was survived by his wife, Mary, two daughters: Eileen Haughland and Mary Davis, and seven sons: Victor, Martin, George, Michael, Frank, Donald, and Bernard. He was pre-deceased by son Ernest.

Contributed by D E Rampone, Co-Chair, Kelowna Canadian Italian Club History Committee, from Charles Casorso 1963 Obituary and “Kelowna Wine History” by Michael Botner, October 2012.