$100M winery under construction
Chantelle Deacon - Jul 14, 2017 - Biz Releases

Image: Contributed
The start of construction at Phantom Creek Estates.

Construction is underway on a new $100 million winery in Oliver.

Phantom Creek Estates, located on the Black Sage Bench, will grow grapes for red wines, from the historic Phantom Creek and Sundial Vineyards.

The winery will specialize in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah wines, but it will also sell Riesling, Viognier and Pinot Gris varieties. They plan to have a soft opening next May.

The owner of the winery, Mr. Bai, travelled around the world for almost two years and went to over 100 wineries, “mostly in Europe, California and of course the Okanagan,” learning about what makes a winery unique and successful, said Ingo Grady, president of Phantom Creek Estates.

Mr. Bai immigrated to Vancouver in 2013, where his “three daughters and son,” currently reside.

Last August, Phantom Creek Estates built a temporary winery in their vineyard and crushed 100 tons of red grapes, so that the wine can be enjoyed as soon as it opens to the public, according to Grady.

Effective this year, the winery has already secured sources for white grapes.

“Eventually we will have our own white grape vineyard,” he said. “We acquired some white grape vineyards, and some acreage in the Similkameen Valley. We think it’s going to be a source of high quality white grapes.”

Until they are able to grow their own white grapes, they will be purchasing and/or trading their red wine for whites.

“I call it northern whites for southern reds,” Grady said.


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