New winery coming soon

Photo: Wayne Moore

File photo

A new winery will be coming to the South Okanagan with a focus on the reds.

In particular, the new winery by Phantom Creek Estates will focus on Bordeaux-style wines after acquiring three vineyards on the Black Sage Bench.

"Family is at the core of our estate, and the sense of family extends to our team, our customers, our neighbours, and our community," said owner Jiping Bai.

The three properties acquired include Phantom Creek Vineyards and Sundial Vineyards. The seven-acre Phantom Creek spot was bought from Richard Cleave, who is expected to stay on as a viticulture consultant for the new winery.

The considerably larger Sundial Vineyards, at about 60 acres, was bought from Harry McWatters. Both vineyards predominantly grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.

A temporary winery was built on the spot for its first vintage in 2016, which are currently maturing in barrel.

Building is expected to begin on the new winery in spring 2017.