Although Rolf de Bruin and his wife, Heleen Pannekoek left the Netherlands for personal reasons, their move to Canada has already had a very public effect on Lillooet.

De Bruin and Pannekoek, with two-year-old daughter Josine and seven-month-old son Thomas in tow, have founded Fort Berens Estate Winery, the area’s first commercial vineyard.

The project is moving quickly. Last Sunday, workers from the Okanagan were installing a drip-irrigation system. The plants arrive on Friday and the actual planting will be done next week in a 20.2-acre plot.

Located at the junction of Highway 12 and Highway 99 in East Lillooet in a former alfalfa field, the name is a tribute to the site’s past.

“Fort Berens was built in 1859, exactly 150 years ago, by the Hudson’s Bay Co.,” said de Bruin, though it was never completed.

He added that the idea of Fort Berens serves as an inspiration as well.

“We’re trying to reflect the pioneer spirit that was present at the time.”

Formerly a management consultant and banker, respectively, de Bruin and Pannekoek can be considered pioneers themselves, immigrating to a new country to take on a new career while raising a new family.

Pannekoek said that their decision to leave their homeland and enter the winemaking field followed their choice to have children.

“We said if we want to have kids, we want them to have more space.”

De Bruin agreed. “We made a radical decision in our life to be more outdoors.”

In the Netherlands, Pannekoek added, “It’s all very crowded and busy.”

The couple felt they would have to make other lifestyle adjustments as well if they wanted to raise a family properly.

“We decided we’d have to make a career change,” said Pannekoek, though she did not sound sad to leave it behind.

“After almost 15 years working in offices, it felt like that was enough.”

According to her, “We were interested in wines since we were students.”

They learned more about the business through courses and wine tours. Eventually, they grew their own vines at home. Pannekoek recalled the first wine they produced. “It was drinkable, not bad.”

However, the climate of the Netherlands could not support major winemaking operations. They decided to move to British Columbia, which they had visited several times in the past. They arrived in Kelowna last July.

“Prices and lack of availability in the Okanagan ultimately led us here,” said de Bruin.

Wine experts in the Okanagan suggested they start a test winery here. They came to Lillooet for the first time last September.

De Bruin said, “We ended up in (then-mayor and grape project host) Christ’l Roshard’s place, started talking to her, got excited.”

In October, Kathy Grossler offered the use of the alfalfa fields.

“Then things got to be very tangible.”

The couple now leases the Fort Berens property from Grossler.

“Kathy’s a wonderful supporter of the project,” said de Bruin.

He added, “All the people we’ve come across have been incredibly willing to help.”

De Bruin and Pannekoek are inviting anyone interested in viewing the site or lending a hand to help with planting on Monday, May 25 and Tuesday, May 26.

“If people want to come out and be a part of it, they’re very welcome,” said de Bruin.

The vines, common varieties like Riesling and chardonnay, will not be expected to produce grapes until 2012, and not a full crop until 2014. But the winery will start giving tours and selling wines sourced from the Okanagan in the summer under the Fort Berens label.

Fort Berens hopes to buy grapes this October and produce and sell their own wine by the Olympics. De Bruin said the key is attracting tourists to stop.

“We’ll be part of the effort to extend their stay.”

The couple can be reached at 250-256-7788 for more information.