Canadian Wine Pioneer Begins Another First With New Okanagan Wine

Harry McWatters, a driving force in the development of British Columbia’s wine industry, is pleased to announce the launch of his own estate wine, McWatters Collection, from one of the Black Sage Bench’s first vinifera vineyards, originally planted in 1993. The first release of the McWatters Collection is a 2007 Meritage, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc releases planned in the future.

One of the most highly awarded vineyards in the country, the Sundial Vineyard (formerly named Black Sage Vineyard) is located on the Black Sage Road in the southern part of the rugged desert-like Okanagan Valley.  The region enjoys long hot days and cool nights, ideal for cultivating vinifera grapes.  Farmed sustainably since McWatters first purchased the land almost two decades ago, the vineyard is comprised of 60 acres, with varietals grown including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.  The planting of traditional Bordeaux grapes by McWatters and Viticulturist Richard Cleave in the early 1990s was the largest to take place ever in Canada at that time. A risky move for the time, as classic red Bordeaux varieties had yet to be planted in the region in any quantity.  The Black Sage Bench now totals more than half of the planted area in the Okanagan Valley with approximately sixty percent in red varieties.

“Having started in the wine business over 40 years ago, I have devoted my life’s work to establishing the Okanagan Valley as an outstanding vinifera grape growing region.  My vision with the McWatters Collection is to craft premium wine that reflects the unique Black Sage terroir and leaves a lasting legacy for future generations,” said Harry McWatters.  “I still have a lot of ‘firsts’ to achieve and crafting our own estate wine from one of the first vinifera vineyards planted on the Black Sage Road has been a dream of mine since I first acquired the property in 1992.”

“Harry McWatters and I share the same philosophy towards producing outstanding, well-balanced fruit, which only comes from vines that are in balance as well.  Thus we’re very thorough in vineyard management whether through limiting water use, cropping, or leaf plucking, which yields grapes with full phenolic ripeness, good sugar balanced with acidity, and full tannin development,” said Dick Cleave, veteran Viticulturist.  “I’ve been working with Harry from the start in 1993 and believed from the beginning, that the Black Sage Vineyard could grow excellent red Bordeaux grapes despite naysayers from Agriculture Canada who said it wasn’t possible.  I’ve lived and worked here for more than three decades and wine sourced from the Black Sage Bench now quite frankly speaks for itself.”

Harry McWatters is a pioneer in the thriving British Columbia wine industry in which he has been involved for over 40 years. He was founder of British Columbia’s first estate winery, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, in 1979. One year later, he led a group of hospitality industry businesses to establish the Okanagan Wine Festival Society, where he sat as founding president. He is the founding chair of the British Columbia Wine Institute (BCWI) and is founding chair of the B.C. Wine Information Society.  McWatters was also instrumental in founding VQA Canada, a trade association that spearheaded the development of national wine standards for Canadian vintners, and served as the first Chairman. He is also the founding Chairman of the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation.

A limited allocation of the McWatters Collection is available in BC only at select restaurants in Metro Vancouver, Whistler, and the Okanagan including the Top Table Group (West, Araxi, Blue Water, Cin Cin), Gramercy Grill, Local Restaurant • Grille.  The wine can also be found at fine wine shops such as Everything Wine in Metro Vancouver, Local in Summerland Park Royal’s Village Liquor Store, and in the Interior at Great Canadian Liquor Warehouse and Fernie Mountain Spirits for an approximate retail price of $25. Or via mailing list at wine@harrymcwatters.com.

ABOUT MCWATTERS COLLECTION
Grown in the sandy loam soils of the southern Okanagan Valley’s Black Sage Bench, our Sundial Vineyard wines are made from sustainably grown estate fruit, hand harvested and handcrafted in small lots of under 1000 cases.  We are stewards of the land and our wines are truly a reflection of what’s in the ground.  Our vineyard’s unique terroir lends special characteristics to the wines, imparting a tropicality and lusciousness to the whites and intense velvety texture, spiciness, and richness to the reds.  One of the most highly awarded vineyards in the country, grapes sown in our soil have garnered countless Canadian and international wine accolades. The McWatters Collection wines are best shared with friends. www.harrymcwatters.com