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View of Lunessence
View of Lunessence Winery & Vineyard in Summerland, BC.
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Grand Opening
Classical music is the thread that connects our vineyard, winemaking and our winery philosophy as a whole.
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Michal Mosny
Michal Mosny, General Manager and winemaker.
Lunessence – working with the moon and the essence of nature, is the philosophy of the owner and manager of a new winery in Summerland opened in 2015. Zhizhong Si purchased the vineyard in 2014. A wetland specialist, Si was drawn to the property because of the beautiful setting above Summerland and two small marshes on the property. Si’s vision is to work with nature while using no pesticides.
The Lunessence property is eight acres of which 6.5 acres are vineyards. The cattail marshes, one above a rock face and the second at the bottom of the vineyard, are connected by an underground seep. Sections of the vineyard require no irrigation at all due to the natural underground moisture. An adjacent property has now been purchased and four acres of grapes will be planted next year. Future plans include terracing a steep slope below the tasting room and planting vegetables and herbs.
General Manager and winemaker Michal Mosny uses Integrated Plant Protection, a European system of vineyard management and is transitioning to a biodynamic system. The intent is to work with nature and interfere as little as possible. Lunessence Winery & Vineyard respects nature in all its aspects and does not use pesticides. Eco-friendly and sustainable viticulture practices are led by an integrated grape production system. This is a procedure to which all economical, ecological and toxicological sustainability methods are applied in order to keep the extent of damage to a minimum and beneath the economic damage threshold.
Four other vineyards in Naramata, Oliver, and Osoyoos contribute grapes to make Lunessence table wines and all follow the same viticulture practices. The Summerland property produces late harvest and ice wines exclusively.
“Classical music is the thread that connects our vineyard, winemaking and our winery philosophy as a whole and we don’t take it lightly," says Mosny.
Michal and his wife Martina, who is a viticulturalist, believe wine is not only a product, it is a gift from nature that they are honoured to transform. “We believe it helps us to find a balance between nature, humanity and the energy around us. Along with playing classical music, we also use classical methods of making wine. Our focus is traditional, old school winemaking methods and combining them with modern and effective winemaking equipment. By knowing our soil, climate and winemaking, we focus on the potential in every bottle.”
Pheasants, quail, and Red-winged Blackbirds make their home in the wetlands. Last year Michal contacted the Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society to help him understand and work with the native plants and animals on the property. Lunessence Winery & Vineyard has now become a “Wildlife Habitat Steward” with the Stewardship Society. The Society assists land owners, managers and community groups with the voluntary conservation of important habitats on their land.
OSS has stewardship agreements with over fifty landowners, the majority of whom own vineyards, orchards and farms. Being a Wildlife Habitat Steward doesn’t mean you cannot use any of the land. Participating stewards maintain their agricultural and tourism practices while working on best management practices for wildlife. All work completed with OSS help is done confidentially.
Mosny will be inviting OSS staff to survey for native amphibians this year. The Stewardship Society will also assist with managing invasive plants and revegetating the wetland edges with native plants.
For information about the Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society check out their web site at http://www.okanagansimilkameenstewardship.ca.
