Celebrate with BCWAS as we congratulate Harry McWatters on his 50th vintage!

This is an exciting year for Harry McWatters – he is renovating an old theatre building into a winery and wine hospitality centre in Penticton, he was named Spirited Industry Professional Award at this year’s Vancouver International Wine Festival, AND it’s his – count it – 50th vintage of making wine in BC!

Harry has accomplished a lot in his 50 years in the BC wine industry. He started with Casabello Wines in 1968. In 1980, he started Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, followed by See Ya Later Ranch several years later. Harry was instrumental in starting the Okanagan Wine Festival, which has run for over 30 years. He founded the BC Wine Institute and brought the VQA concept to BC. He was the first to have a commercially successful sparkling wine and the first to use the new word "Meritage" on his red wine blends. Harry was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree in 2001 for his work in the BC and Canadian wine industry, he received the Order of British Columbia in 2003, and he was awarded the Diamond Jubilee Medal of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2013, just to name a few of his many accolades.

TIME Winery was launched in 2013, and is making wine in Encore Vineyards' new Penticton facility alongside Harry's other two labels: McWatters Collection and Evolve Cellars. Join us as we taste some of the new TIME wines and hear a few tales from Harry’s “time” in the BC wine industry!
 
Wines being poured include:

• 2016 Riesling
• 2016 Sauvignon Blanc
• 2016 Viognier
• 2014 Chardonnay
• 2014 White Meritage
• 2016 Rosé
• 2014 Cabernet Franc
• 2013 Red Meritage
• 2013 Syrah
• 2013 Chronos

 
Something else we need to mention: Harry has been a great friend to our Society ever since we started over 10 years ago, and he is generously donating all the wines that we will be tasting this evening. Thank you, Harry!​

Date: Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Time: 7:30-9:30pm
Place: Diamond Ballroom, top floor of the Masonic Centre, 1495 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver
​Directions (transit): The building is just east of Granville Street on 8th Avenue. Buses that stop within a block include #9, #14, #16, #50, the #99 B-Line.  Routes #4 and #7 also stop nearby.
Directions (car): There is limited street parking on 8th Avenue, and some underground parking in the building. Do not park in the alley or you will be towed. As always, we recommend that you take transit, and we will provide you with a free ticket home.

Price: $39 Members / $55 Guests via Paypal or Interac e-transfer to [email protected]
* Don’t forget to renew your membership for the year before signing up!

​2017/2018 BCWAS membership: Join us now, and your membership is good until March of 2018. Only $40 for more than a year of our fun and fabulous events! Click here to become a member of the best wine club in town. http://www.bcwas.com/membership.html

Questions? Contact us at [email protected]

Please note - there are no paper tickets for our events. Once your purchase is completed you will be added to our attendees list. Please check in when you arrive.

Please make sure you have a safe way home: take transit, call a cab, or ask a friend to be a designated driver. We will have free transit tickets on hand for those who take transit home.

Please note that we are unable to provide refunds. If you purchase a ticket but cannot attend the event, please let us know with as much advance notice as possible and we’ll try to re-sell your ticket, but we cannot guarantee this.