Hugging Tree Winery
After decades of community service and 13 moves, Cristine and Walter Makepeace were ready to put down roots. They were determined to find a special place to call home and nurture their love of land. Having spent much time in the Similkameen Valley over those years, they knew they had found that special place and in 2005 they purchased 60 acres of pristine property. This valley has become home and the home of Hugging Tree Winery.
It was also time to gather the family and chart this new course together. Their passion was contagious and it wasn’t long before their 3 adult children Brad, Wes and Jennifer had their hands in the dirt and joined them in developing an award winning family estate winery. Brad and Walt educated themselves in winemaking and viticulture, Wes in farming and Jenny, Cristine and Tara (Brad’s wife) in the operations. They demonstrate their respect of the land by using organic practices in the vineyards and orchards and in crafting authentic wines that express their special terroir. In 2019, they decided to focus more heavily on viticulture and moved to a new location in the Similkameen, with the purchase of 2 new properties.
These sites, among the hottest in the valley, offer varied micro-terroirs that allow for a broader portfolio of wines that reflect the exceptional terroir. Planting of the new vineyards began immediately.
