Here are some more fine wines from Hester Creek Estate Winery. The 2023 vintage wines include Chardonnay, Merlot, and Pinot Bianco. The fabulous 2022 vintage is a luscious Syrah. These previous articles have Hester Creek harvest information for the 2023 and 2022 vintages.
Hester Creek Chardonnay 2023
The grapes for the 2023 Chardonnay were hand-harvested from two South Okanagan vineyards. Each bunch was hand-sorted, and the whole cluster was pressed to retain the best juice quality and showcase the terroir. The juice was cold-set for five days before fermentation, and the resulting wine was aged for 10 months in exclusively French oak. A weekly bâtonnage took place in a combination of new and neutral oak barrels, giving the Chardonnay a layered complexity that will allow it to age over the next five years.
12.7% Alcohol/ pH 3.40 / TA 7.0 / RS 1.5
Aromas of lightly buttered toast mingle with minerality and citrus. The creamy, textured mouthfeel has Meyer lemon, ripe apple and apricot flavours with a touch of caramel on the finish. 91 Points
Hester Creek Pinot Bianco 2023
Identical in origin to the Old Vine Pinot Blanc, the 2023 Pinot Bianco deviates in style during the winemaking process. The grapes were hand-picked from Blocks 4 and 9 of the historic estate property before being hand-sorted, and the whole clusters were pressed to retain the bright characteristics typical to the varietal.
The resulting juice was cold-settled and then racked to ferment both blocks in stainless steel tanks for one day. After this day, 20% was cleanly racked into three French oak barrels, where it underwent a 12-day fermentation at 15°C. The remaining 80% was fermented in stainless steel tanks for 21 days at 12°C. Both lots were aged for five months in their respective vessels, with the barrel portion undergoing weekly battonage on fine lees. The lots were blended and bottled on March 7, 2024.
13.2% Alcohol / pH 3.3 / TA 6.8 / RS 2.8
Subtle aromas of apple and pear and honeysuckle. The refreshing dry wine has a creamy mouthfeel with green apple and citrus flavours. 90 Points
Hester Creek Select Vineyards Merlot 2023
The Merlot grapes for this 2023 vintage were hand-harvested from four vineyards in the South Okanagan, most from the estate property. They were hand-sorted, then destemmed, and transferred as whole berries to Italian Ganimede fermentation tanks, where they were cold soaked for two days before undergoing a gentle maceration.
After pressing, the resulting wine was then aged in a combination of French and American oak for eight months and bottled on June 6, 2024.
12.9% Alcohol / pH 3.78 / TA 6.19 / RS 0.09
An easy-drinking, medium-bodied and lightly oaked Merlot with aromas of cherry and chocolate. A soft round mouthfeel with red cherry, fig, dark chocolate flavours and a hint of herbs. 90 points
Hester Creek Syrah 2022
The 2022 Syrah was hand-harvested late in the season when the grapes reached their zenith of ripeness. This longer growing season allowed the skins to raisin, increasing the flavour concentration. They were hand sorted, destemmed and cold soaked for two days before inoculation. An extended maceration of 15 days took place before the wine was gently pressed off the skins and encouraged through malolactic fermentation. The resulting wine was aged for 14 months using 60% American and 40% French oak barrels and bottled on April 26, 2024
14.6% Alcohol / pH 3.64 / TA 5.93 / RS 0.1
It is another fantastic red from the 2022 vintage. It has full-on aromas of floral violets, cherry, and plum. The flavours are blackberry and juicy red cherry with just a hint of white pepper. A well-rounded mouthfeel, velvet smooth tannins, and a long finish complete the profile. 92 Points.
Please visit Hester Creek Estate Winery to purchase their current portfolio of BC wines.