Summerland museum shares a look back at the early days and growth of Sumac Ridge Winery

Summerland museum shares a look back at the early days and growth of Sumac Ridge Winery

Summerland museum shares a look back at the early days and growth of Sumac Ridge Winery Early days of Sumac Ridge A recent sizeable donation of photographs and memorabilia came into the Summerland Museum & Archives Society, looking at the early days and growth of Sumac Ridge Winery. "The donation was made all the more special as the winery celebrates a major milestone this year.

2026 is the 45th anniversary of the opening of Sumac Ridge Winery - in fact, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, it will be exactly 45 years to the minute that the very first bottle of wine was sold there," the museum said in their post. First starting in 1979, when Harry McWatters mortgaged his home and purchased a golf course on the edge of Summerland, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery was a trailblazer for the local wine scene. McWatters turned the spot into the very first estate winery in British Columbia.

"McWatters became known to many as the 'Godfather of BC Wine' for the impact and lasting legacy he had on the wine industry in the region," the museum said. "Sumac Ridge was the first winery in Canada to produce a Meritage, and the first winery in BC to produce a premium sparkling wine made in the traditional method." Adding more to their legacy, they were also the first winery restaurant in BC.

Sumac Ridge was purchased in 2000 by Vincor Canada, now Arterra Wines. McWatters died in 2019 after also founding See Ya Later Ranch and Time Winery. Sumac Ridge closed the doors of its Summerland winery in 2023.

"Production of their wines has since been relocated to Arterra Wine's facility in Oliver, however, ensuring that the legacy of Sumac Ridge lives on. The McWatters name also continues to be closely tied to the Okanagan wine industry," the museum said. "Sumac Ridge Winery was always a family affair, with Harry and Cathie McWatters running the business together with their children.

The apple (or grape?) doesn't fall far from the tree, as they say, as daughter Darrien went on to become TIME Family of Wines’ operations manager." The Summerland Museum & Archives Society shares photos and information from their archives every week for Throwback Thursday on their social media, which can be found online here. More Summerland News - Road rage dad targets sonKamloops - 4:00 am - City removes river warningsKamloops - 4:00 am - Mission launches Aqua 3Kelowna - 4:00 am - Black cats need homes tooSummerland - 4:00 am - Ol' fashioned pinball arcadeVernon - 4:00 am