There’s a moment on the drive up to Phantom Creek Estates when you realize this isn’t going to be a typical winery visit.

The vineyards stretch out below you. The architecture slowly comes into view against the rugged landscape of the Black Sage Bench. And then, at the entrance, two monumental white figures appear to rise from the earth, arms extended toward the sky.

You haven’t tasted a single wine yet.

And already, Phantom Creek has your attention.

We arrived for the Private Tour & Tasting, expecting an elevated afternoon at one of the Okanagan’s most striking estates. What we discovered was something considerably more layered.

Because Phantom Creek isn’t really experienced through wine alone.

It unfolds through architecture and art, through the vineyards and the soil beneath them, through the stories of this land and the people who have farmed it—and, ultimately, through what ends up in your glass.

There is grandeur here, certainly. The scale of the estate alone makes that impossible to miss. But what surprised us most was how quickly that grandeur gives way to something warmer.

You’re invited to wander. To ask questions. To touch the soil. To stand beneath extraordinary works of art and hear why they’re here. To descend into the cellar. To taste slowly. And, perhaps most importantly, to take your time.

By the end of our visit, we understood something: Phantom Creek may make exceptional wine, but wine is only the beginning of the story.

So, if you’ve ever driven along the Black Sage Bench, looked up toward Phantom Creek Estates and wondered what exactly awaits at the top of that hill, come with us.

There’s considerably more up there than wine.

The Story Beneath the Estate

For all its contemporary grandeur, Phantom Creek Estates is rooted in a story that began long before its doors opened.

The estate officially welcomed its first guests on June 12, 2020, following three years of development. But the history beneath it stretches back decades, to some of the early vineyard plantings that helped establish the Black Sage Bench as one of British Columbia’s most important wine-growing regions.

Phantom Creek Vineyard and Becker Vineyard were first planted in 1997, long before the estate that now rises above them was imagined. Today, those historic sites remain at the heart of Phantom Creek, alongside Kobau Vineyard and Evernden Vineyard, the estate’s newest addition.

The current chapter began in 2016, when founder Richter Bai, drawn by a passion for Bordeaux-style wines, acquired his first vineyards and began laying the groundwork for what would become Phantom Creek Estates.

What followed was ambitious: not simply the creation of a winery, but an estate conceived around the land itself—its vineyards, its history, and the distinctive terroir of the South Okanagan.

That history matters here.

Because despite Phantom Creek’s relatively recent arrival, much of what defines it today was already taking shape beneath the surface. The vines came first. The estate followed.

Architecture That Belongs Here

The approach to Phantom Creek is part of the experience.

As the road climbs through the vineyards, the estate slowly reveals itself—limestone, glass and bronze emerging against the dry, dramatic landscape of the Black Sage Bench. For a building of this scale, there is something remarkably restrained about the way it occupies the land.

That was entirely intentional.

“I hope when every guest leaves Phantom Creek, they feel like they’ve discovered something truly special,” says Sarah Bai, CEO of Phantom Creek Estates. “Phantom Creek is where wine, art, architecture, history and the unique South Okanagan terroir come together.”

Look closely and the connection becomes clearer. Egyptian limestone echoes the warm, sun-bleached grasses surrounding the property, while bronze-toned metals reference the rocky hills beyond it. Rather than competing with the landscape, the architecture seems designed to settle into it.

“To me, it was really important that this winery felt grounded,” explained John Taft, the main architect behind Phantom Creek’s breathtaking transformation, as part of the estate’s 10-episode series.

That idea of being grounded carries inside, where warm woods, rich materials, and softened textures offer a counterpoint to the limestone and metal of the exterior. There is warmth here, but also a certain quietness. Even at its most impressive, the architecture rarely feels as though it is asking for your attention.

It commands it.

And then there is the landscape itself.

Behind the estate, a 500-seat natural amphitheatre opens toward sweeping views of the Black Sage Bench. Guests are encouraged to take a bottle of wine and a blanket outside, settle in and watch the landscape change with the light—perhaps catching sight of the osprey overhead.

It is another reminder that, for all the extraordinary things built here, the most important element of Phantom Creek may still be the land beneath it.

That philosophy extends into the vineyards.

Just one year after opening, the estate received organic certification from Ecocert, reflecting a commitment to farming practices centred around healthy soils and the long-term stewardship of the land.

“We want visitors to understand that every bottle begins long before harvest, with thoughtful farming, healthy soils, and a deep respect for nature,” says Sarah.

The Tour We’d Book Again

With several ways to experience Phantom Creek Estates, we chose the Private Tour & Tasting ($70 per person, with a minimum of four guests), and it was, without question, the right choice if you’re looking for the complete Phantom Creek experience.

We’d choose it again.

Tours are highly recommended at the estate. “It offers the best introduction to who we are,” explains Sarah Bai. “Guests explore our vineyards, learn about our farming and winemaking philosophy, discover the history, and hear the stories behind each bottle, ending with a curated flight of wines in our beautiful tasting room.”

Our tour began in the History Room, where you learn about the distinctive terroir of the South Okanagan as well as the history of the winery itself. Here, soil from the estate’s individual vineyards has been preserved and displayed almost like works of art, each one revealing a distinctly different composition beneath the vines. One is visibly rocky and rugged; another, finer and almost sand-like. Side by side, the differences are striking.

Terroir is a word used often in wine. Here, you can actually see it.

And, to some extent, feel it too. The displays offer a remarkably simple way to understand something that can otherwise feel rather abstract: even vineyards within the same estate can begin with entirely different ground beneath them.

From the History Room, the tour continues through the property’s remarkable art collection, where the relationship between wine, art and the landscape becomes increasingly apparent.

And Then There’s the Art

The art actually begins the moment you first arrive, with two exceptional angel-like statues at the entrance: Pro Terra et Natura (For Earth and Nature) by celebrated Taiwanese artist Wu Ching Ru. These expressive figures represent the gentle spirits of Mother Earth and nature, greeting every visitor as they arrive at Phantom Creek Estates.

They are one of only three editions in the world: the smallest can be found in the Royal Gardens of Buckingham Palace in London, England, while the largest stands in the Financial District of Shanghai, China.

On the property, you’ll also discover Helios by renowned British sculptor Emily Young along the eastern ridge of the estate. Young is known for sculpting stone as she finds it, embracing and celebrating its inherent natural beauty. This particular installation is carved from Golden Siena marble imported from Italy.

Named for the Greek god of the sun and positioned to welcome the sunrise each morning, Helios is another example of how thoughtfully art has been integrated into the estate. It was also chosen since solar energy plays such a pivotal role in grape growth.

“Our art collection reflects our connection to nature and the landscape,” says Sarah Bai. “Our history honours the pioneers who helped shape viticulture in the South Okanagan. Our architecture celebrates the beauty of this valley. Wine becomes the thread that ties all of those stories together.”

As the tour progresses, you really get a sense of how each piece of art connects back to the winery’s philosophy and sense of place. That same thinking carries into Phantom Creek’s approach to biodynamic and sustainable farming, and ultimately, into how those practices influence the wines they produce.

“When you make wine, you make a cultural product. It’s not just a beverage with alcohol in it,” explains winemaking consultant Olivier Humbrecht in the estate’s 10-episode series. “Wine must show the characteristics of a place.”

It’s a thought that begins to make even more sense as you move through the winemaking facilities, where traditional techniques meet modern innovation.

One detail that particularly stood out to us was the collection of 22 Austrian oak foudres used for Phantom Creek’s white wines. Hand-built by world-renowned Austrian barrel maker Stockinger, these impressive vessels each hold approximately 3,200 litres and are used to ferment wines including Chardonnay and Riesling. According to our guide, Stockinger hand-builds only 10 of these particular foudres each year—meaning Phantom Creek’s collection represents more than two years of production. The process inside them is equally unhurried: fermentation can take anywhere from six to eight months for their Estate tier wines and up to nineteen months for their Small Lot series of white wines, allowing each vintage to develop slowly and gradually.

And then comes the final stop of the tour.

The Founder’s Cellar

The Founder’s Cellar is impressive in its own right, but at its centre is one of Phantom Creek’s most extraordinary—and certainly most unexpected—works of art.

Surrounded by rows of wine barrels is a glass-enclosed room, and suspended within it is Imperial Topaz, commissioned from celebrated glass artist Dale Chihuly.

Composed of hundreds of individually hand-blown glass elements, the intricate installation appears almost suspended in motion above the room. Against the order and quiet of the surrounding cellar, its scale, colour and form are impossible to miss. The deep amber and warm hues of the Imperial Topaz are inspired by the vineyards themselves and surrounding landscapes. Its naturally flowing form seems to narrate the wondrous transformations from sand to glass as well as soil to wine.

It is quite the final reveal.

And somehow, it feels fitting here. Surrounded by barrels and beneath an artwork requiring extraordinary craftsmanship, you’re reminded again of the idea that has followed you throughout the tour: at Phantom Creek, wine, art, architecture and place are rarely treated as separate things.

By the time you leave the cellar and sit down for the tasting, you’ve already been given a remarkably intimate look at where these wines come from.

Now, finally, it’s time to taste them.

Award-Winning Excellence Starts in the Vineyard

The private tour concluded with a 45-minute guided tasting featuring estate and single vineyard wines while overlooking the spectacular South Okanagan Valley. Our personal favourites were the 2025 Estate Organic Phantom Blanc and the 2025 Organic Rosé, but of course, there are plenty of award-winning vintages to covet and cellar.

Recently, Phantom Creek Estates received 97 points in James Suckling’s Okanagan Tasting report on their 2022 Small Lot Evernden Riesling—the only wine in our valley to receive this score. He also awarded the 2022 Phantom Creek Vineyard Cuvée 96 points.

“Receiving 97 points from James Suckling for our 2022 Small Lot Evernden Riesling is a wonderful affirmation of the dedication that goes into every bottle,” says Sarah Bai. “From our farming team, to our winemaking team, our consulting winemaker Olivier Humbrecht MW, and everyone who shares these wines with guests every day.”

And, at this year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition, their 2022 Becker Carménère received a Gold Medal. The distinction was particularly meaningful: it was the only red wine in Western Canada to receive this score, the only Gold Medal-winning wine from the Okanagan Valley, and earned 95 points from an international panel of experts.

Luxury Without the Formality

For all the grandeur of Phantom Creek Estates, there was something else that stood out to us throughout our visit: this experience felt elevated without ever feeling pretentious.

And that is very intentional.

“To me, luxury isn’t just about beautiful architecture or exceptional wine; it’s about how people make you feel,” explains Sarah Bai. “Every person who walks through our doors deserves genuine attention, a warm welcome, a great glass of wine, and meaningful conversations.”

That philosophy came through in every interaction we had.

Phantom Creek spends a great deal of time helping its team understand the story behind every wine—not just how it tastes, but where it comes from, how it is grown and crafted, and why that matters. “When our team genuinely believes in those stories, the conversations become natural,” says Sarah.

And they do.

The service is knowledgeable without feeling rehearsed, attentive without hovering, and polished without becoming formal. You are encouraged to ask questions, linger over a glass and genuinely engage with the people guiding you through the experience.

For the Private Tour & Tasting, we suggest allowing approximately two to two-and-a-half hours to enjoy the experience without feeling rushed. At an estate like this, you want to leave yourself enough time to take it all in.

There are, of course, several other ways to experience Phantom Creek Estates:

• Seated Tasting — $25 per person
• Estate Tour & Tasting — $45 per person
• History Room Terroir Tasting Experience — $60 per person
• Private Tour & Tasting — $70 per person
• Grand Cellar Experience — $150 per person

Whichever you choose, what impressed us most was the consistency of the hospitality. From start to finish, every interaction felt warm, genuine, knowledgeable and highly personalized.

“We’re excited about everything that’s ahead,” says Sarah Bai. “Throughout the rest of the year, we’ll continue hosting a variety of experiences at the estate, including our family-friendly Movie Night, Fall Wine Club Pickup Party, and a number of Winemaker Dinner collabs with talented local chefs.”

The Editors’ Pick

We arrived at Phantom Creek Estates expecting beautiful architecture and very good wine.

We found both.

But what stayed with us was everything around them.

The art. The landscape. The history beneath the vineyards. The details tucked into unexpected corners. The people who know the stories behind the wines and genuinely want to share them.

Phantom Creek isn’t simply a winery. It feels more like an immersive experience in wine, art, architecture and place, with each element thoughtfully connected to the next.

And then there is the hospitality.

Because for all the things at Phantom Creek designed to impress, perhaps its greatest luxury is exactly what Sarah described: how the experience makes you feel.

For us, it is one of the most memorable winery experiences we’ve had in the Okanagan.

Our pick? Book the Private Tour & Tasting, give yourself the afternoon, and don’t be in a hurry to leave.

Xx,

Your Okanagan Curators