The British Columbia Supreme Court has awarded more than $2.3 million to the former owner of Hainle Estate Winery in Peachland, concluding a complex dispute involving unpaid wine inventory, wrongful dismissal, and breached consulting agreements.

In a lengthy decision released last week, the court rejected all fraud allegations brought by the buyers and emphasized the risks of informal dealings, cultural misunderstandings, and insufficient due diligence in cross-border business transactions.

The case, Huber Estate Vineyards Inc. v. Bella Valley Enterprises Ltd., arises from the 2017 sale of the boutique winery for $3.9 million. Plaintiffs Walter Huber, his company Huber Inc., his consulting firm WTJ Consulting Inc., and his mother, Rosa Huber, sued the buyers -- Chinese nationals Bella Hu

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