Harry McWatters is celebrating two milestones this month.
His new TIME Winery, in downtown Penticton, is expected to go into full operation at the end of the month, and he害羞草研究所檚 celebrating his 50th vintage.
Looking back half a century, McWatters said he could never have predicted the success the B.C. wine industry has seen.
害羞草研究所淲hen I first started, selling Okanagan wine was a challenge,害羞草研究所� said McWatters. In the 1960s, he explained, the wine consumer was still being educated.
害羞草研究所淚 often joked there were two kinds of consumers. Those that took it out of the brown paper bag, and those that didn害羞草研究所檛,害羞草研究所� said McWatters, adding that contrary to popular belief, the wines of that time weren害羞草研究所檛 all bad.
害羞草研究所淭he best wines we made in the 60s and 70s were our toughest sell. They were dry and they did show a lot of promise,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭here were some good wines and there were wines that showed promise.
害羞草研究所淭he wines that were consumed back in the 60s were typically higher alcohol, sweeter red wines.害羞草研究所�
But there was a lack of demand, with those consumers drinking fine wines committed to European wines. The industry would have moved faster, according to McWatters, if there had been greater demand in those early days.
Another stumbling block was the inability to import some of the European vines, but the biggest change came with the 1988 Free Trade Agreement.
害羞草研究所淭he first time we had a burning platform for the whole industry to get behind was free trade. It really looked like doom and gloom for the industry,害羞草研究所� said McWatters.
The FTA brought with it reduced government protection, and by the time the dust had settled, there was far less acreage under vine.
害羞草研究所淲e had less than a thousand acres to rebuild on,害羞草研究所� said McWatters. What was left, though, was a foundation with a higher average quality of grape production.
害羞草研究所淚t really forced the industry to band together. We recognized we weren害羞草研究所檛 going to make it in an industry of bulk wine,害羞草研究所� said McWatters, noting that there were just 14 wineries at the time.
The change in direction brought with it a focus on raising the bar, not just in terms of the quality of wines, but the image the B.C. wine industry was presenting to the world.
害羞草研究所淚t really put a spotlight on those wines that were quality and B.C. grown,害羞草研究所� said McWatters.
Another outcome of that was the B.C. Wine Institute, which McWatters was founding chair of, then the launch of Vintner害羞草研究所檚 Quality Alliance (VQA) certification, setting standards for quality, origin, vintage and varietals.
害羞草研究所淚 think VQA was the most pivotal change in the Canadian wine industry for recognition of quality,害羞草研究所� said McWatters.
What came out of the transition was an increase in the number of small wineries. McWatters remembers making a prediction in 1990 that by 2000, the industry could be back to the same number of acres, with as many as 50 wineries.
害羞草研究所淏y 2000 we were well past. I think we were at about 5,000 or 6,000 acres. So we had substantially more (acreage) and we had about 65 wineries,害羞草研究所� said McWatters. 害羞草研究所淧eople though I was crazy when I predicted that we could have that many acres or that many wineries.害羞草研究所�
Wine has always been a part of McWatters害羞草研究所� life, growing up in a household where they drank wine regularly, in a predominantly Italian neighbourhood in Toronto.
害羞草研究所淔or as long as I can remember, on Sundays I would always get a couple of ounces of wine with dinner,害羞草研究所� said McWatters.
Even after moving to North Vancouver, the tradition of wine at meals continued, at least until the young McWatters moved out on his own.
害羞草研究所淚 left home when I was 16, and as a result didn害羞草研究所檛 have access to wine. So I started making wine when I was 16 years old,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey were probably better in my memory than they were in reality.
害羞草研究所淲hen I was 18, I was making wines with friends that were importing grapes from California.害羞草研究所�
By 1968, McWatters害羞草研究所� interest in wines landed him a job as sales manager at Casbello Wines. It wasn害羞草研究所檛 long after that he acquired the Sumac Ridge golf course, where he built B.C.害羞草研究所檚 first estate winery, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, in 1980.
Sumac Ridge is notable for many historic firsts including the release of B.C.害羞草研究所檚 first traditional method sparkling wine and producing Canada害羞草研究所檚 first Meritage sourced from McWatters害羞草研究所� estate vineyard along the Black Sage Bench. In 1995, he founded See Ya Later Ranch Estate Winery, eventually selling both to Constellation Brands (formerly Vincor) in 2000 and 害羞草研究所渞etiring害羞草研究所� in 2008.
McWatters is now president and CEO of , the parent company behind Evolve Cellars, the McWatters Collection and now, TIME Winery.
The new location for TIME, in the renovated PenMar Theatre building on Martin Street, isn害羞草研究所檛 just a storefront to sell wines from.
害羞草研究所淲e are a full fledged winery, we will be crushing grapes there. The only thing we don害羞草研究所檛 do on site is grow the grapes,害羞草研究所� said McWatters. 害羞草研究所淚 am exactly three kilometres north of where I started my business 50 years ago.害羞草研究所�
The vineyard remains an important part of the process.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e able to select grape varieties from great sites throughout the region and we害羞草研究所檙e pretty excited about that,害羞草研究所� said McWatters, explaining that having the crush pad and the vineyard in separate locations isn害羞草研究所檛 a new concept, it害羞草研究所檚 revisiting an old concept; wineries didn害羞草研究所檛 used to have their operation in the vineyard.
He害羞草研究所檚 also excited about contributing to the growing artisanal culture in downtown Penticton, joining Cannery Brewing, Bad Tattoo, Old Order Distillery, and the many restaurants.
害羞草研究所淧eople started to talk about the area downtown being the entertainment district of Penticton. I think some of that is aspirational, I like to think we are making a major contribution to it.,害羞草研究所� said McWatters. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e also had some really positive feedback from the community: 害羞草研究所榃e can害羞草研究所檛 wait till you get open, we are really looking forward to it.害羞草研究所�
McWatters said that though they missed the bulk of the summer season, TIME will be open before long.
害羞草研究所淧robably with a bit of a soft opening, making sure we have everything all set in all aspects of the business by early spring. We will have the winter to get the kinks out,害羞草研究所� he said.
As he prepares for his 50th vintage, McWatters said it害羞草研究所檚 been a rewarding career, especially watching the growth.
害羞草研究所淚 am so proud of the successes,害羞草研究所� said McWatters. 害羞草研究所淲e have created an industry, based on the foundation laid by those of us that were here through that transition.害羞草研究所�
That includes the diversity of people that have been attracted to the B.C. wine industry from all over the world, bringing and sharing their skills. There is phenomenal diversity in all aspects of our industry, he said, whether it be the training, the historical background of winemakers and growers, or just the number of wines that flourish in over 100 miles of changing climates through the Okanangan.
害羞草研究所淲e have about 70 commercially viable grape varieties and then we have all these personalities that want to put their fingerprint on that particular grape variety,害羞草研究所� said McWatters. 害羞草研究所淚 think we can never give up the mission to continue to raise the bar and continue to be diverse.害羞草研究所�
