Hillside wines: more 2025s and one icon

Photo: Winemaker Kathy Malone (courtesy of Hillside Winery)

The impressive new releases from Hillside Winery show off the great 2025 vintage, along with a 2019 Mosaic, the winery’s icon red. Mosaic was one of the wines included in my 2017 book, Icon: Flagship Wines from British Columbia’s Best Wineries. The wine has been crafted since 2008 by Kathy Malone, who persuaded Hillside’s owners to use just Naramata grapes not just for Mosaic but for the entire portfolio. Here is an extract from the book:

The first three vintages [of Mosaic] were primarily blended with grapes from the South Okanagan. Hillside only began planting its Hidden Valley Vineyard, now an important source for Merlot, in 2002 in the hills above the winery. Since 2006, however, Mosaic has been made entirely with Naramata Bench grapes. “Before I came here, I would not have thought that was wise,” says winemaker Kathy Malone. She came to Hillside in 2008 from Mission Hill, where she had worked primarily with South Okanagan fruit, not Naramata grapes. She is now one of the strongest advocates of the Naramata terroir. “I love the type of ripeness we get on the Naramata Bench,” she says. In the 2010 and 2011 vintages, Hillside lost one source of Naramata Bench Cabernet Franc. Rather than compromise on the winery’s commitment to terroir, Kathy made those two vintages with no Cabernet Franc in the blend. That varietal returned to the wine in 2012 when Hillside secured a new source. The 2006 vintage was the first Mosaic to win a gold medal (at the Northwest Wine Challenge). While fermenting just Naramata fruit brought the first upgrade to Mosaic, subsequent advances also reflected winemaking changes. Early vintages spent only nine months aging in French and American oak barrels. By 2008, barrel-aging had been extended to 13 months. Now the wine spends at least 14 months in barrel, all in French oak, and more than a quarter of the barrels are new.

Kathy has refined Mosaic even further from when that was written. The current release had a total of 28 months of barrel-aging. Here are notes:

Hillside Heritage Muscat Ottonel 2025 ($26). This is arguably Hillside’s signature white made from vines planted in 1984. The handpicked grapes had overnight skin contact and were fermented cool in stainless steel. The wine begins with appealing aromas of rose petals and spice. There are mouth-filling flavours of peach and citrus. The wine is slightly off-dry, which enhances the exotic fruit flavours. 92.

Hillside Heritage Pinot Gris 2025 ($35 for 318 cases). Two hours of skin contact have given this wine a delicate golden pink hue. This wine was fermented 75% in Tokaj oak barrels and then aged five months on the lees with stirring every two weeks, The result is a full-textured wine with spicy aromas of tropical fruits leading to a rich palate of pear and apricot. 92.

Hillside Chef’s Whites 2025 ($35 for 367 cases). The blend is 58% Chardonnay, 37% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Pinot Gris. The wine was fermented in terracotta (37%) and neutral French oak barrels. It was aged four months on the lees. The wine is complex, with aromas and flavours of apple, stone fruits and spice. The texture is full and the finish is long. 92.

Hillside Heritage Viognier 2025 ($28 for 340 cases). The fruit had overnight skin contact. The wine was fermented 50% in French oak (17% new) and 50% in stainless steel. The wine has aromas of tropical fruits and flavours of mango and vanilla on a rich palate. The finish lingers. 92.

Hillside Below The Road Rosé 2025 ($35 for 290 cases). This is a Pinot Noir rosé that was fermented in French oak (three to five years old) and aged four months on the lees. It presents assertively with a dark pink hue and with aromas and flavours of strawberries and ripe apples. The finish is long and refreshing. 91.

Hillside Mosaic 2019 ($70 for 280 cases). The winery’s flagship red, this is a blend of 51% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot, all sourced on the Naramata Bench. The wine was aged for 16 months in French oak (55% new) plus an additional 12 months in neutral oak after blending. This wine begins with aromas of cassis and dark cherry mingled with notes of oak. That leads to flavours of dark fruits on a palate of long, silky tannins. The persistent finish adds to the superb elegance of this wine. 95.