Phantom Creek Estates appoints new managing director

Phantom Creek Estates, a winery in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley, names François Mateo as its new managing director.

With experience working with some of the world’s top estates, Mateo brings a “fresh perspective, invaluable expertise, and an aspirational new vision for Phantom Creek Estates to join with other B.C. wineries in furthering Canada as the next frontier in the global wine industry.”

“I was drawn to this place for several reasons,” said Mateo. “Obviously, it’s spectacular; there’s a very special energy here.”

He was pointing to the winery’s location on the south end of the valley, plus its ownership of several historic vineyards, all of them producing organic fruits.

“The Phantom Creek philosophy of traditional methods paired with modern technology resonated with me, and it’s backed up with incredible investments in leading-edge facilities. This really captured my attention. I’ve worked with several world-class estates, but I’ve rarely come across such state-of-the-art winemaking infrastructure,” he added.

The real draw for Mateo, however, is the chance to be part of the next big thing in wine: Canada.

“I believe this region has all the necessary elements to be the next frontier: we are very proud of what we are doing and inspired by world-class wineries, and in fact some of the wines produced here are already world-class. The terroir is unique, and thanks to the geography, there’s natural scarcity. There is only one way forward, toward quality and desirability. And that’s where we are heading. It’s a young wine region; with time and collaboration, the world is going to take notice,” he said.

Mateo first joined Phantom Creek in February, having worked previously with fine wines from the famed French region of Bordeaux. His career also included a role in Burgundy, as managing director of Château de la Crée; in Oregon, with Domaine Serene; in Chile, for Seña and Errazuriz; and in France, with Krug, at the historic house of Champagne.

As the managing director, Mateo will oversee all aspects of operations, from vineyard management to winemaking, and sales and marketing.