Harry McWatters is a leader in the British Columbia wine industry for the past 40+ years. In 1980, he founded BC’s first estate winery, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, and later started See Ya Later Ranch Estate Winery in 1995. He purchased and planted vines on his Sundial Vineyard on Black Sage Road in 1993.
Harry is the owner of TIME Estate Winery, and loves blends; Red and White, which are produced from his Sundial Vineyard grapes. Below I tasted two of his white blends; both are very tasty and recommended. The wines show off the fresh fruit of the BC Okanagan Valley.
- TIME Estate Sundial White 2013 ($19.99) – This white wine is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and is made entirely in stainless steel. Medium intensity nose with lots of honey, together with lees, stone fruit and peaches. With some decanting, you will also get pears on the nose. It is between dry and off-dry. Round and silky, almost waxy texture, with a heavier mouth feel. Mostly pears with lesser amounts of peach, apples, and citrus, with pepper and spice on the finish. Medium length.
Rating:
Great fresh fruit in your glass, celebrating BC. - TIME Estate White Meritage 2014 ($25) – A blend of 68% Sauvignon Blanc and 32% Semillon goes into this wine. These two grapes are traditionally blended together in white Bordeaux. Deeper lemon colour with legs evident on the sides of the glass. Medium plus intensity nose with aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, oak, tropical fruit and butterscotch. Dry, quite round and soft. Fuller mouth feel. Medium acidity. Medium plus intensity level of flavours, primarily of tropical fruit, followed by pears, a citrus edge, and some oak support. Medium length with light pepperiness and bitterness on the finish.
Rating:
A quality wine, fuller bodied with some oak that should go well with roast turkey or roast pork, with potatoes and vegetables. - TIME Estate Cabernet Franc 2014 ($19.99) – Really quite opaque in the glass with purple and ruby colours. Youthful aromas of violets, ripe plums, cassis, some sweet spices and vanilla, and a hint of chocolate. Dry, with medium mouth feel. Not too round in the mouth, but very tasty, with lots of purple fruit, cassis, and ripe plum flavours, followed on the mid palate with raspberries. Light vanilla support. It also has a nice light salty minerality. With decanting you also get some violets on the palate. Firmer tannins on the finish with oak, sweet spices and black fruit on the finish. I think you will be rewarded with some time cellaring this wine; maybe 2 years, to soften up those tannins on the finish.
Rating: A full bodied, big wine. Not what you would typically expect from a Cabernet Franc. But it has lots of interesting flavours and aromas to enjoy with your meal.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
You can purchase these wines at VQA wine shops, such as Swirl Wine Stores in Yaletown, but also consider the Save-On-Foods wine sections in Surrey or Tsawwassen. You can also order the wines online from the Time Estate Winery website.
