Moon Curser's new owners inherited excellent wines

Photo: Left to right: Harjit, Gurjit and Sukhi Dhaliwal (Photo courtesy Moon Curser Vineyards)

While some Okanagan wineries advertise when they are for sale, it seems like the best just get it done quietly. Case in point: Moon Curser Vineyards in Osoyoos. The winery was established in 2004 by Beata and Chris Tolley. They had moved from corporate careers in Calgary, preparing themselves for winegrowing by first getting postgraduate degrees from Lincoln University, New Zealand’s premier wine school.

The winery opened in 2006 as Twisted Tree Vineyards & Winery. A few years later, the Tolleys decided there was no drama in that name and rechristened the property as Moon Curser Vineyards. The name was inspired by the legends of gold being smuggled from mines operating in the Okanagan in the 19th century to smelters in the United States. On moonlit nights, the smugglers risked being caught by border authorities, which is why they supposedly cursed at the moon.

The Tolleys followed up with story-telling labels that were often on the bizarre side but certainly stood out on wine store shelves. What really made the rebranding succeed was the quality and the originality of the wines. The Tolleys often chose to plant varietals that were exclusive, or nearly so, to their vineyards. Examples included Tannat, an old French variety at home in Uruguay; Carménère, another old French red now at home in Chile; Touriga Nacional, a Portuguese red; and Arneis, a lovely Italian white grape. The result is that Moon Curser wines have been as individual as the labels.

In 2023, Chris sold one of Moon Curser’s vineyards to Gurjit Dhaliwal, his wife Sukhi and his brother, Harjit. The brothers have been Okanagan grapegrowers since 2007 while Sukhi became a nurse. In 2023, they purchased a vineyard from Moon Curser – and discovered that Chris and Beata, both nearing 60, were ready to retire. The Dhaliwals had been thinking of opening a winery and jumped at Moon Curser, an established producer with award-winning wines.

The ownership change was announced in December 2024, in spite of a reduced production from Moon Curser’s vineyards due to the devastating freeze in January that year. Vineyards around Osoyoos Lake suffered less than vineyards elsewhere in the Okanagan. While Tannat did not survive the freeze and will not be replanted, most of the other varietals made it. "Chris and I are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished as Smugglers-in-Chief over the past 20-years and are excited to pass the torch to Sukhi, Gurjit and Harjit, who share our passion for farming and family," Beata Tolley when the ownership change was announced.

Christian Scagnetti has continued as the winemaker, assuring continuity of style. The recent releases include a number of reds from the outstanding 2022 vintage. These are among the finest Moon Curser wines I have tasted. Here are my notes.

Moon Curser Eclipse Traditional Method 2022 ($34.99 for 168 cases). This sparkling wine is a blend of 55% Roussanne and 45% Marsanne. The grapes were fermented cool in stainless steel and the wine then was 14 months en tirage before being disgorged. The wine has a golden hue and a fine mousse. Brioche and tropical fruits mingle in the aroma and on the palate. A very elegant wine. 93.

Moon Curser Broad Daylight VQA 2024 ($25.99 for 332 cases). This is a delicious blend of 69% Pinot Gris, 14% Muscat Blanc, 11% Viognier and 6% Arneis. The grapes were fermented cool in stainless steel. The wine begins with aromas of cantaloupe, kiwi, apple and apricot. There is a rich play of fruits on the palate: peach, nectarine, mingled with grapefruit. The finish persists. 93.

Moon Curser Riesling Confiscated 2024 ($25.99 for 690 cases. The fruit is from a vineyard at Lake Chelan in Washington. The grapes were transported to the Moon Curser winey in Osoyoos, where whole grapes were crushed and fermented cool in stainless steel. The wine has aromas and flavours of lemon and peach. A touch of residual sugar gives the wine a fullness on the palate. 88.

Moon Curser Roussanne Marsanne 2024 VQA ($28.99 for 201 cases). This is 69% Roussanne and 31% Marsanne. The fruit was fermented cool in stainless steel, with a portion fermented warm in barrel. A quarter of the wine was aged four months in French oak (24% new). This is a savoury and complex wine, with aromas and flavours of stone fruits. 93.

Moon Curser Confiscated Rosé 2024 ($26.99 for 473 cases). The fruit is Pinot Noir from a vineyard near Lake Chelan in Washington, with cool fermentation in stainless steel in the winery at Osoyoos. It presents with an inviting pink hue in the glass. It has aromas and flavours of strawberry and raspberry. The finish is juicy. 90.

Moon Curser Heist Rosé 2023 ($26.99 for 360 cases). This is a blend of 54% Syrah, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. The grapes, which were co-fermented, had just two hours of skin contact – just enough to give the wine a dark hue. The wine has aromas and flavours of red plum and strawberry, with a mouth-filling texture. 90.

Moon Curser Malbec 2022 ($38.99 for 1,074 cases). This wine was fermented warm in stainless steel, with gentle pump-overs three time a day. Then it was aged 12 months in French oak (27% new). It begins with aromas of blueberry, dark cherry and even a hint of licorice. On the palate, there are flavours of cherry, plum and pepper. 92

Moon Curser Dead of Night 2022 ($46.99 for 661 cases). Moon Curser’s flagship red wine, this is a blend of 50% Tannat and 50% Syrah. This has always been a wine with power – even more so in a great vintage like 2022. Partially co-fermented in stainless steel, the wine was aged 12 months in French and Hungarian oak (35% new). Dark in colour, the wine begins with aromas of dark fruits and coffee. The palate delivers flavours of dark cherry, black currant and plum mingled with oak. This wine will benefit from decanting and will age far into the future. 94.

Moon Curser Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($46.99 for 466 cases). After a warm fermentation in stainless steel, the wine was aged 24 months in French oak (32% new). Dark in colour and full-bodied, the wine begins with aromas of dark fruits, black licorice and cigar box. The palate delivers flavours of black currant, plum, dark cherry and chocolate. The long ripe tannins signal that this wine will age well. 94.

Moon Curser Border Vines 2022 ($34.99 for 1,547 cases). This is a blend of 35% Petit Verdot, 33% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Cabernet Franc. Fermented in stainless steel, the wine was aged 12 months in French oak (25% new). The wine begins with spicy aromas of cherry and licorice, leading to a rich palate with flavours of dark fruits mingled with chocolate. 92.

Moon Curser Carménère 2022($46.99 for 519 cases). This wine was aged 12 months in French oak (20% new). It begins with aromas of plum and cranberry mingled with notes of black pepper. The medium-bodied palate echoes the pepper, along with flavours of dark cherry. The finish persists. 94.

Moon Curser Tempranillo 2022 ($38.99 for 710 cases). This is a Spanish red varietal. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel and aged 12 months in American oak (21% new). The wine begins with aromas of raspberry and blueberry. It has a fleshy texture with flavours of plum, cherry and fig. The finish is long. 93.

Moon Curser Syrah 2022 ($34.99 for 1,461 cases). The grapes were fermented in stainless steel and aged 12 months in French and Hungarian oak (20% new). Bold and satisfying, the wine begins with aromas of dark fruits mingled with a hint of pepper. On the palate, the wine delivers flavours of dark cherry, blackberry and plum mingled with hints of tobacco and pepper. 92.

Moon Curser Touriga Nacional 2022 ($46.99 for 393 cases). This is a Portuguese varietal. In the Okanagan, Moon Curser is believed to be the only producer. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel and the wine was aged 12 months in French oak (25% new). Dark in colour, the wine has intriguing aromas of cherry and plum mingled with blueberry and tobacco. All that is echoed on the savoury palate, along with notes of black olive and a suggestion of pepper. The finish is long. 94.

Moon Curser Contraband Syrah 2021 – The Hill ($46.99 for 242 cases). This wine was aged 24 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels (35% new). The wine is dark, with aromas blueberry, blackberry and licorice. The palate is rich and deep, with flavours of black cherry, plum, spice and mocha, leading to a persistent finish. 93.

Hillside's remarkable 2024 Pinot Gris partners with a new Bordeaux blend

Photo: Winemaker Kathy Malone

Two new releases from Hillside Winery include a new red blend from a great vintage; and a surprise: a rare 2024 wine made with Okanagan grapes.

Hillside winemaker Kathy Malone elaborates on the surprise in the frost-blighted year that destroyed about 95% of the vintage in the Okanagan (and Similkameen) in 2024. “I was shocked when I went to check the Dickinson vineyard [on the Naramata Bench] last September and found there was enough fruit to harvest.” That was not all. “I also found what looked like the entire starling population of the Okanagan,” she writes. “I immediately offered to replace the 18-year-old bird netting to protect what could be the only wine made in 2024. … In 2024, we received only a tiny amount of Muscat Ottonel - which went into our white port-style wine, Soirée en Blanc -and enough Pinot Gris to make one barrel’s worth, 22 cases to be exact.” The wine, which is outstanding, will be released in late September at Hillside’s wine club pick-up event. The Montage, a new red blend for Hillside, is made with grapes sourced from five or six vineyards – all on the Naramata Bench. Hillside has worked exclusively with Naramata grapes almost since Kathy became the winemaker.

I asked Kathy what the outlook is for the 2025 vintage, one in which good growing weather is helping vines recover from frost events in the previous two vintages. “The vineyards on the Naramata Bench look awesome,” she says. “Many will have full recovery. I’m using the ‘your guess is as good as mine’ yield estimation method so we’ll see. Along with some extra contracts we have picked up, I’m expecting a normal harvest.” Here are notes on the two wines.

Hillside Dickinson Vineyard Pinot Gris 2024 ($50 for 22 cases). This will be released in late September. The grapes were given two hours of skin contact before being pressed. The wine was fermented in a third-fill Tokay oak barrel and aged there, with frequent lees stirring, for six months. The wine has fresh aromas and flavours of apple, pear and citrus. If only the bird netting had been deployed earlier! This would be an outstanding Pinot Gris in any vintage. 93.

Hillside Montage 2022 ($55 for 250 cases). A new wine in the Hillside portfolio, it is a blend of 76% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Hillside describes this wine as “a collaboration” with Tightrope Winery because most of the Merlot was sourced there. The wine was aged 24 months in French oak (10% new). A wine that will benefit from decanting, it begins with aromas of spicy dark fruits including cherry and black currant. These are echoed in the palate. The long ripe tannins give the wine a long and elegant finish. 92.