Photo by Chris Stenberg
Christa-Lee McWatters
Christa-Lee McWatters is the president and CEO of ENCORE Vineyards.
Evolve Cellars' new home will be at 361 Martin St., in downtown Penticton, sharing a roof with sibling TIME Winery.
Evolve Cellars was established in 2015 by the McWatters family as a label created by their company, ENCORE Vineyards, to offer fresh, fruit-forward, crisp, approachable, well-balanced and affordable wines. And now it is time for Evolve Cellars to change. Encore Vineyards' past president and CEO Harry McWatters passed away peacefully but suddenly this past summer.
Christa-Lee McWatters is the new president and CEO, as per the family's succession plan. Harry had been in the wine business for 51 years and mentored Christa-Lee in the business from the time she was a child. Evolve Cellars is a project led by Christa-Lee, noting that the brand values of celebrating the Okanagan and
living as the best version of herself is something she aspires to.
The original home of Evolve Cellars was on leased property, and the lease is up, so the decision was made to consolidate the company's labels into one enhanced guest experience. With the McWatters family changes, evolutions in company roles, and harvest all happening at the same time, the team agreed this is the perfect time to pivot, focus, and, well, evolve the brand.
"It's been an exciting challenge as I take over managing the company," says McWatters. "I miss my dad and his mentorship, and moving ahead without him is a struggle some days, but I know he would want us to carve out our own way to carry on the family legacy."
McWatters first significant change as leader is to unite the brands. As of September 16 Evolve Cellars has a new residence in the refurbished Pen-Mar theater that is home to TIME Winery & Kitchen.
