TIME Family of Wines started the new year with some major recognition.
Sisters Christa-Lee and Darrien McWatters have been chosen among Wine Industry Network鈥檚 (WIN) Most Inspiring People of 2021.
Christa-Lee is general manager and Darrien McWatters is operations manager at TIME Family of Wines. This award validates and proves that the McWatters sisters are celebrating the work first started by their father, the late Harry McWatters - the founding father of the B.C. wine industry.
鈥淭his award is really special because it comes from our peers in the wine industry,鈥� said Christa-Lee. 鈥淚t鈥檚 extremely humbling and we are feeling blessed.鈥�
鈥淐hrista-Lee and Darrien McWatters manage to honour their family鈥檚 incredible history and legacy in Canadian wine, while fearlessly pushing their brands into the future,鈥� said Kathleen Wilcox of Wine Industry Network.
As Wilcox explains, the sisters received this accolade for their ability to be adaptable and innovative, while paving the way for others.
鈥淒arrien and Christa-Lee have remained steadfast in their leadership positions despite the evolution of the industry, their father鈥檚 death and the pandemic鈥攁ll of which ultimately transformed what they saw as their鈥攁nd the brand鈥檚鈥攖rajectory,鈥� according to a post from WIN.
Throughout the pandemic, the two worked to sell the winery to new owners Ron and Shelley Mayert as well as re-branded and added fresh new packaging. They didn鈥檛 stop there. They added a second location at the District Wine Village in Oliver last year and they purchased a vineyard near Osoyoos.
They are loving their satellite location in the wine village.
鈥淥ur fireplace just arrived and we are really looking forward to spring. What I love about the District Wine Village is the sense of community, with wineries supporting each other,鈥� she said.
The WIN post adds, 鈥渃hange, for the McWatters, is a healthy and welcome part of life. Darrien鈥檚 journey, and her family鈥檚 reaction to her personal metamorphosis as she completed her gender transition in 2021, is a powerful demonstration of the reach and power of their commitment to carefully considered advancement.鈥� Like her father, Darrien has been a true trailblazer and role model to those around her.
Harry McWatters founded the wine industry, opening the first winery in B.C. - Sumac Ridge Winery in Summerland, Okanagan. He passed away unexpectedly in 2019.
鈥淚 think dad would be really proud of us,鈥� said Christa-Lee, choking back tears. Currently, Christa-Lee鈥檚 favourite wine is the 2017 McWatters Brut made in the traditional way.
鈥淚t was the last wine my dad blended,鈥� she added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely delicious.鈥�
Known as trailblazers, the McWatters opened the first urban winery in the heart of downtown Penticton in 2018. The TIME winery is in a historic and revitalized movie theatre on Martin Street, and features garage doors that can open to the patio, allowing for an amazing space for concerts and dining.
鈥淲e have a lot of plans for 2022. We鈥檝e renovated upstairs to allow for private tastings,鈥� said Christa-Lee. 鈥淲e鈥檝e kept pivoting and like everyone we鈥檝e struggled with the changing restrictions but rather than sitting still we keep looking at ways to move forward.
鈥淥ur culinary team and staff have been amazing through it all.鈥�
TIME Family of Wines is the parent company to Chronos, Evolve Cellars and the McWatters Collection.
鈥淒arrien and Christa-Lee take their prominent position as role models in the world of wine seriously, and both are keen to speak openly about the manner in which family, business, and the reality of modern life can overlap,鈥� WIN concluded in the reasons why the sisters were chosen as most inspirational in 2021.
