Hester Creek Estate Winery has released four wines from the new Columbia Valley Collection: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Viognier, and Cabernet Franc Rosé. Before going to the wine information and tasting notes, here is the background on the 2024 harvest and the “crafted in BC” program.
2024 Harvest
“The 2024 vintage from Hester Creek was sourced from just south of the border in the Columbia Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA). This AVA and its sub-AVAs were chosen for the proximity and similarities to the South Okanagan with respect to terroir, varietals and viticultural history.
We chose the vineyard blocks based on our quality standards and all the winemaking was done in-house by our winemaking team. Across the sub-AVAs, bud break began in late March with a cool spring. By July, temperatures climbed to above average and balanced out the Growing Degree Days. The season produced large grape clusters with small berry sizes, leading to great quality fruit for winemaking. Each cluster of grapes for Hester Creek was hand harvested, starting with our Sauvignon Blanc on September 2, and ending with Petit Verdot and Malbec on October 5. The grapes were brought to our crush pad in recyclable containers and hand sorted by our team before continuing the winemaking process.” Mark Hopley, Winemaker
You can read more about the 2024 vintage and “Crafted in BC” – BC Wineries prepare for 2024 Vintage and “Crafted in BC” wines.
Hester Creek CVC Sauvignon Blanc 2024 ($19)
“The Sauvignon Blanc grapes were hand harvested on September 2, 2024 in the White Bluffs AVA of the Columbia Valley. Once harvested, they were loaded into temperature-controlled trucks and brought to our crush pad the same day as picking. The grapes were hand sorted, destemmed and cold settled for two days. Our team racked off the juice lees and began a 21-day fermentation. The resulting wine was racked and cross-blended to be aged in stainless steel for four months and bottled on January 22, 2025.” Mark Hopley
12.7% Alcohol / pH 3.03 / TA 7.56 / RS 3.86
Vibrant and expressive, this wine unveils an enticing bouquet of lemon zest, juicy grapefruit, honeydew melon, and crisp Asian pear. On the palate, it reveals a lush, layered complexity, striking a harmonious balance with a subtly creamy texture. Bright, lively flavours burst forth, weaving together zesty citrus, succulent ripe melon, and a refined mineral undertone that lingers gracefully. 91 Points.“
Hester Creek Pinot Gris ($19.99)
“The grapes for this 2024 vintage were hand harvested in the early hours of September 23 to 26, 2024 from the Art Den Hoed Vineyard in the Yakima Valley AVA. Each lot was transported to our crush pad at Hester Creek on the same day as picking in temperature-controlled trucks. Once at the winery, they were de-stemmed, pressed and cold settled for two days before being racked off the juice lees and inoculated. The juice was fermented for 20 days, racked, cross-blended and aged for four months in stainless steel tanks. The resulting wine was bottled on January 21, 2025.”
12.5% Alcohol / pH 3.27 / TA 6.52 / RS 1.25
The Pinot Gris bursts open with aromas of ripe apricot, white peach, mandarin orange and a hint of honeycomb. Flavours of fresh, ripe Okanagan peaches, strawberry and citrus notes with a lush mouthfeel and light minerality on the finish. 90 Points
A suggested pairing of Pacific salmon or summer salads would be a lovely complement to this wine.
Hester Creek Viognier 2024($23.99)
“This vintage of Viognier was sustainably farmed in the Goose Gap AVA, hand-harvested, and brought to the crush pad at Hester Creek in temperature-controlled trucks. Once here, our winemaking team hand-sorted the grapes, destemmed them, and sent them as whole berries to our fermentation tanks, where they were cold-settled for two days. We racked off the juice lees and inoculated the wine to be fermented for 20 days. After racking and cross-blending the resulting wine, it was aged five months and bottled on February 5, 2025.”
12.9% Alcohol / pH 3.32 / TA 7.83 / RS 6.7
A captivatingly aromatic Viognier, this wine weaves together scents of ripe apricot and juicy white peach with the delicate fragrance of apple and pear blossoms, kissed by a gentle rain during a stroll through a sun-dappled orchard. On the palate, it unfolds with a luscious, velvety mouthfeel, revealing layers of apricot, peach, and passionfruit, accented by a subtle hint of roasted fennel. A refined mineral backbone lends structure, carrying the flavours to a lingering, elegant finish. 92 Points
Pair the Viognier with flavourful Indian dishes, such as butter chicken or veggie korma, to enhance your tasting experience.
Hester Creek Cabernet Franc Rosé 2024 (22.99)
“To craft our signature Rosé, we sourced 100% Cabernet Franc grapes from the Columbia Valley AVA, most of which came from Red Mountain AVA and Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Each cluster was hand-harvested before being transported to Hester Creek’s crush pad in temperature-controlled trucks. Our team hand-sorted the grapes, destemmed and cold soaked on the skins for three days to extract the vibrant ruby tone. The wine underwent 21 days of fermentation before being racked, cross-blended and aged for four months in stainless steel tanks. We bottled the 2024 vintage on January 23, 2025.”
12.0% Alcohol / pH 3.41 / TA 6.20 / RS 6.0
The Rosé unfurls with a vibrant bouquet, where the sweet perfume of ripe strawberries dances alongside delicate whispers of rose petals—a charming welcome from the moment the bottle is opened. On the palate, it bursts with juicy, fruit-driven exuberance: think sun-kissed raspberries, tangy strawberries, a nostalgic hint of rhubarb pie, and a playful fizz of cream soda. This wine effortlessly pairs with a meal or shines solo as the perfect companion for a lazy afternoon on the patio. 91 Points
Please visit Hester Creek Estate Winery to purchase their current portfolio of BC wines. For information and Hester Creek Red wines see – Hester Creek Releases 2023 Vintage plus a Fabulous 2022 Red