From Sumac Ridge to Time Winery, how McWatters made his mark on the Canadian wine industry

1968

McWatters starts working in sales at Casabello Wines in downtown Penticton

1979

Buys Sumac Ridge Golf Course in Summerland with then-partner Lloyd Schmidt

1981

Opens Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Ltd. and releases 1980 vintage

1990

Appointed first chair of the British Columbia Wine Institute and B.C. Wine Information Society

1992

Purchases 115-acre Black Sage Vineyard in Oliver

1993

Appointed chair of VQA Canada; brings the term Meritage to Canada from the U.S.

1995

Buys Le Comte Estate Winery, renamed Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards in 1995, and then See Ya Later Ranch (2003)

2000

Sells Sumac Ridge Estate Wine Group (including See Ya Later Ranch and Sumac Ridge Estate Winery) to Vincor International

2003

Receives Order of British Columbia

2007

Founding chair of British Columbia Hospitality Foundation

2008

Retires from Constellation (formerly Vincor) and opens Vintage Consulting Group Ltd.

2009

Co-purchases Local On Lakeshore restaurant in Summerland

2011

Launches McWatters Collection of wines with the 2007 vintage Meritage (red)

2013

Starts construction of Time Estate Winery at Sundial Vineyard

2014

Establishes Encore Vineyards Ltd.; releases first Time wines

2015

Launches Evolve Cellars

2016

Sells Sundial Vineyard and buys PenMar theatre in downtown Penticton

2017

Opens Time Winery in renovated PenMar theatre