Looking for some excellent BC wines to finish off the summer? Here are five wines from Hester Creek Estate Winery you must try.
We were able to taste some of Hester Creek’s Flavourful 2021 Whites this spring and were looking to try more from the 2019 and 2021 vintages. There is always something special about old vine wines and these wines are special.
White Wines
Hester Creek Viognier 2021($21.99)
The majority of the Viognier grapes are from Rich Fournier’s Stone’s Throw vineyard, adjacent to the Black Sage Bench in Oliver. The soils are a gravelly, sandy loam mix with excellent drainage for the vines and sun-loving grapes from the vineyard’s north-south exposure.
The grapes were hand-picked, sorted and whole-berry pressed. Following a gentle pressing, the juice was cold settled for 4 days at 2oC, racked off heavy lees and inoculated with select yeasts. A cool fermentation at 12oC for 25 days in stainless steel. Once the desired dryness was achieved, the lots were blended and aged on fine lees for four months concentrating aromatics and giving the wine a balanced weight, and a viscous mouthfeel.
13.1% Alcohol, pH 3.49 TA 7.13 g/L, RS 4.5 g/L.
A gorgeous aroma of pear, ginger, orange and honey greets you as you sample the fine Viognier. The medium-bodied white has flavours of white peach, Honeycrisp apple, ginger and honeycomb with a subtle mineral backbone to keep the wine fresh and crisp. 91 points Perfect as a summer sipper or with Asian cuisine or pasta.
A double gold winner at the Cascadia International Wine Competition.
Hester Creek Sémillon 2021($21.99)
From Block 12 of the Golden Mile Bench estate, the vines for this Storied Series Sémillon were planted in the late 1990s and consistently show excellent fruit early, with a concentrated minerality. The grapes were hand-harvested and sorted, and the whole clusters were left intact on the stems for pressing to best preserve the delicate flavours.
The resulting juice was cold settled in stainless steel tanks for four days and then enjoyed a long, cool ferment of 30 days. After fermentation, the wine was racked and left on fine lees to further age four months prior to bottling contributing to weight and complexity. With age, this finely nuanced wine will further develop a classic viscous texture.
Alcohol: 12.9% / pH 3.33 / TA 7.24 g/L / RS 3.5 g/L
The wine opens with refreshing aromas of Meyer lemon and lemongrass. The creamy mouthfeel contains a full spectrum of citrus flavours with a hint of passionfruit. Perfectly balanced acidity makes this a lovely food-friendly wine. 91 Points
The classic Sémillon pairs perfectly with Avocado Shrimp.
A gold winner at the Cascadia International Wine Competition.
Sparkling Wines
Hester Creek Old Vine Brut 2019 ($34.99)
From the historic 1968 Golden Mile Bench vineyard, this traditional method of sparkling wine is made with grapes from the rare Old Vine Pinot Blanc vines. The grapes were handpicked early to half full bins to prevent oxidation, then meticulously hand sorted and whole cluster pressed, ensuring only the best quality juice. The resulting clean and delicate juice was cold settled for 3 days and racked into stainless steel tanks and cold fermented for 24 days to dryness.
The base wine was then aged on fine lees for 24 months of en tirage to develop the classic rich and creamy autolytic characters. Following riddling and disgorging in the spring of 2022, the winemaker added a proprietary dosage prior to final packaging.
Alcohol: 12.2% / pH 3.03 / TA 7.76 g/L / RS 1.7 g/L
Aromas of lemon zest, brioche and a hint of fresh ginger. Flavours of lemon, Bosc pear and fresh biscuits with a toasty rich mouthfeel and finish. A beautifully balanced Blanc de Blanc Brut that will cellar gracefully for years to come. 92 Points
Hester Creek Ti Amo 2021($21.99)
Beautifully aromatic, this year’s vintage of Prosecco-inspired wine is primarily Pinot Gris, complemented by Gewürztraminer and Sémillon. The grapes were grown mainly on the estate and the Vineyard Manager’s neighbouring vineyard on Road 8 and were hand harvested early in the season.
The fruit was carefully sorted, whole-berry pressed, cold settled, and then cool fermented in stainless steel tanks. Following blending, the wine was re-fermented in the Charmat method for a period of 6 weeks and then bottled cold to retain the lively effervescence. A fabulously fresh frizzante crafted to be fruity, floral and fun.
Alcohol: 11.4% / pH 3 / TA 8.63 g/L / RS 18 g/L
One of the best-value BC sparkling wines I have tasted. A gorgeous mouthfeel of soft but persistent bubbles, with aromas of citrus, pears and peaches. A creamy texture and flavours of apple, Bosc pear and lemon. Off-dry but still crisp and refreshing. A wine that should be enjoyed while young. 91 Points
A quintessential wine for entertaining loved ones. Enjoy the sparkler with cocktails, brunch or desserts.
Red Wine
Hester Creek The Judge 2019 ($49.99)
Crafted with handpicked fruit from the Golden Mile Bench estate, the Judge is made from the oldest vines on the historic 1968 property. The grapes were meticulously sorted, cold-soaked and fermented in separate varietal lots in Ganimede tanks. These specialized Italian tanks achieve ideal extraction in an extremely gentle and natural process using CO2, allowing the fruit and vineyard blocks to fully show their flavours.
This year’s vintage is a blend of 41% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Cabernet Franc. The wines were gently pressed and encouraged through malolactic fermentation, blended with the other components and barrel aged for 24 months. The barrels were primarily French oak, 30% of which were new, along with older neutral oak barrels to contribute classic leather notes to the wine. A harmonious and complex Bordeaux-style blend that is cellar-worthy.
Aromas of blackberry and ripe plum with dark chocolate, vanilla, leather, dried herbs and smoke. Soft smooth tannins and full flavours of ripe black fruit dusted in cocoa and vanilla with a touch of sagebrush. A BC red blend at its finest. 94 Points
Please visit Hester Creek Estate Winery to purchase their current portfolio of BC wines.