Moon Curser Vineyards

Moon Curser Vineyards is one of the South Okanagan's most distinctive wineries, perched on the east bench of Osoyoos near the Canada-US border in the hottest, driest corner of the valley. The name nods to the gold rush era, when smugglers moving contraband across the border at night cursed the moonlight that threatened to give them away, and the winery carries the outlaw theme through its striking labels and its self-description as the Okanagan Valley's most elusive winery. The smuggling motif is more than branding: Moon Curser has built its reputation on grape varieties rarely seen in British Columbia, championing what it calls clandestine varieties such as Touriga Nacional and Carmenere alongside Syrah and Bordeaux-style blends like its Border Vines. The gamble on the unusual has paid off handsomely, with the winery earning multiple medals at the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada, including recognition among the country's top-performing small wineries, and wines such as its Malbec and Syrah drawing consistent praise. Visitors will find the tasting room on Highway 3 East in Osoyoos, open daily, with a more leisurely seated Smuggler's Sitting tasting experience offered on weekends for those who want to dig deeper into the portfolio. The location makes an easy first or last stop on a South Okanagan wine tour, minutes from the town of Osoyoos with its warm lake and desert landscape, and close to the wineries of Oliver and the Black Sage Bench to the north. For wine lovers tired of tasting the same few varieties at every stop, Moon Curser is a must: few BC wineries offer a lineup this adventurous, poured with this much personality, in a setting this dramatic. A wine club provides discounts and first access to limited releases.