By Times Chronicle Staff
Phantom Creek Estates’ third annual signature event Soirée Rouge was held earlier this summer at the Black Sage Road winery with Mark Beringer, director of winemaking, decked out in true theme donning a red sequin blazer to emcee the event.
After introducing the Okanagan song, and performances of the feather dance and the shawl dance with local members of the Osoyoos Indian Band, Beringer read a letter from the Bai family, owners of the winery.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude. Your prayers and performances will not only enrich this event but also remind us of the profound cultural heritage that you preserve and share with us. Your contributions have set a beautiful and respectful tone for our gathering, and we are truly thankful for the spirit and tradition you have brought us.
“Thank you for your wisdom, your artistry and your generosity and sharing your culture with us. Today, we look forward to continuing this journey together with mutual respect and appreciation. Thank you.”
Beringer later detailed where the proceeds from the raffle were going. “We are going to be donating money tonight to the BC Wine Growers Association and the catastrophe this winter. The proceeds will be going directly to the farmers who are obviously going to be struggling for the next few years.”
“Also, we’re going to have a really interesting performance by one of our team members, Rebecca, who works in our office over in Richmond. She’s part of a drum crew and the dragon drumming team will be doing several performances this evening.”
Hundreds of guests enjoyed wine, canapes and dinner and danced to the lively music of the Rann Berry Band.
This year attendees were hosted on the main floor and the upstairs lounge with cooling stations and plenty of water for the Okanagan July heat.
