Photo by Lionel Trudel
Becker Vineyard
Few wineries have seen as much anticipation as the new 45,000 square foot, fully organic Phantom Creek Estates facility on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver.
Phantom Creek has announced the impressive site will open by appointment in September, 2019, featuring wines produced using organic and biodynamic farming that began in 2017 under the guidance of Olivier Humbrecht MW.
As part of this transition, Phantom Creek’s grape farming does not include any synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. By incorporating traditional practices, the aim is to promote a self-sustaining ecosystem within the vineyard. For example, the winery encourages indigenous flora to grow both in and around its vineyards, attracting beneficial insects. It also means more work by hand in the vineyard.
To eliminate the use of herbicides, hand hoeing is used for weed control. Similarly, the canopy is managed using the palissage technique: shoots are trained back down into the canopy by hand instead of being trimmed or hedged. This technique slows down shoot growth and focuses the vine’s energy on ripening fruit. As an added benefit, no tractor passes are required, reducing the winery’s carbon footprint.
Humbrecht says biodynamics is not only a sustainable approach, but it also yields exceptional, energetic wines.
