Hester Creek’s winter red releases arrive at the perfect moment—just as holiday gatherings, long-table dinners, and fireside evenings begin to shape the season. This trio of reds highlights the incredible range of the estate’s winemaking: two powerful, cellar-worthy South Okanagan flagships and one beautifully smooth, Washington-sourced Meritage that overdelivers for its style and price. Together, they offer depth, generosity, and festive comfort that are ideal for gifting, sharing, and celebrating throughout the holidays.
Why These Three Wines Stand Out This Holiday
Each wine plays a different role at the holiday table: The Judge delivers grandeur and structure for prime rib or Christmas roasts; Garland elevates cold-weather evenings with its polished, Old World elegance; and the Red Mountain Meritage brings smooth versatility—perfect for mixed company or casual gatherings. Whether you’re hosting or gifting, this trio covers every festive scenario.
2022 Wines
🍷 Hester Creek THE JUDGE — 94 Points
Origin Wines — South Okanagan
Tasting Notes
The Judge opens with a deeply layered bouquet that immediately signals a wine of stature. Aromas of star anise, dark cherry, black plum skin, cocoa nib, purple basil, and cedar shavings rise with striking clarity. As it breathes, deeper notes emerge: dried fig, graphite, espresso roast, warm caramel, and a subtle charred spice edge from perfectly judged oak integration.
The palate is broad, confident, and impeccably structured. Flavours of ripe Lapin cherry, roasted fennel, blackberry compote, and espresso crema glide across a dense mid-palate supported by architectural, polished tannins. There is impressive tension between richness and freshness, leading into a finish that’s long, savoury, and texturally rich, echoing tobacco leaf, dark cocoa, and baking spice.
A benchmark Judge vintage—powerful, refined, and capable of graceful aging over the next decade or more.
Winemaking Notes
Hand-harvested Oct 12–Dec 1, 2022 · 2-day cold soak in Ganimede tanks · Co-fermented Petit Verdot & Malbec · Malolactic completed · Aged 24 months in 100% French oak · Bottled May 2025
Technical Specs
- Blend: 47% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec
- Alcohol: 14.2%
- pH: 3.71
- TA: 6.2 g/L
- RS: 0.5 g/L
- Brix: 24.4
Holiday Pairing
Beef tenderloin, braised short ribs, or a Christmas roast with rosemary and garlic. Truffle mashed potatoes, porcini-rubbed ribeye, or dark chocolate peppermint bark.
🍷 Hester Creek GARLAND — 95 Points
Origin Wines — South Okanagan
Tasting Notes
Garland 2022 is profoundly expressive from the first swirl. Aromatics of ripe blackberry, cassis, clove, cedar, tobacco leaf, and classic pencil shavings set the tone. With air, the bouquet deepens into bergamot oil, violets, leather, dried rosemary, and graphite dust, showing an Old World elegance layered with Okanagan purity.
The palate is silky yet powerful, with flavours of plum preserves, wild blueberry, cassis, vanilla bean, and hints of black licorice and dark chocolate shavings. Its fine-grained, confident tannins give the wine structure and presence without excess weight.
The finish is exceptionally long, polished, and aromatic—cedar spice, bergamot, and lingering black fruit carry effortlessly.
A superb Garland vintage—textural, elegant, and built for 15+ years.
Winemaking Notes
Hand-harvested Oct 12 & Nov 9 · 2-day cold soak · Petit Verdot & Malbec co-fermented · Separate fermentation for Cab Sauv & Cab Franc · Aged 24 months in 100% French oak · Bottled June 2025
Technical Specs
- Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec
- Alcohol: 14.0%
- pH: 3.80
- TA: 6.4 g/L
- RS: 0.1 g/L
- Brix: 25.2
Holiday Pairing
NY striploin with peppercorn sauce, lamb shoulder, or aged cheddar with smoked meats. Herb-crusted lamb rack, wild mushroom risotto, or holiday charcuterie with aged Gouda.
🍷 2024 Hester Creek MERITAGE — Columbia Valley Collection – 91 Points
Red Mountain AVA — Medium-bodied & exceptionally smooth for the shorter barrel aging
Sourced from Washington’s prestigious Red Mountain AVA, this Meritage reflects Hester Creek’s hallmark craftsmanship. The wine is medium-bodied with impressive, smooth tannins, given only 8 months of oak maturation.
Tasting Notes
Aromas of ripe blackberry, Lapin cherry, and vanilla lead into a palate of cassis, blackberry, cedar, and subtle vanilla spice. The tannins are soft, silky, and very approachable, making this a perfect holiday dinner table wine for mixed company.
Winemaking Notes
Red Mountain AVA fruit · Co-fermented Cabernet Franc and Malbec · Separate fermentation for Cabernet Sauvignon · Cold-soaked 1–2 days · ML completed · Aged 8 months in French and American oak · Bottled July 2025
Technical Specs
- Blend: 62% Cab Sauv, 22% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 7% Cab Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
- Alcohol: 13.6%
- pH: 3.83
- TA: 5.89 g/L
- RS: 0.86 g/L
- Brix: 24.1
Holiday Pairing
BBQ striploin, grilled vegetables, casual holiday meals, or a festive turkey sandwich platter. Turkey and cranberry sliders, ham with maple glaze or baked pasta after-ski comfort meals.
Final Thoughts
This holiday lineup perfectly captures Hester Creek’s range:
- The Judge shows breathtaking depth and structure (94 pts).
- Garland delivers polished power and precision (95 pts).
- Meritage offers medium-bodied smoothness with Red Mountain fruit. (91 pts)
This trio captures everything we love about holiday wine—warmth, generosity, and the sense of celebration that comes from sharing a bottle with the people who matter most.
Please visit Hester Creek Estate Winery to purchase their current portfolio of BC wines.
Author Note:
This article was researched, written, and formatted by Julian Park of BCWineTrends.com, with ChatGPT support to enhance structure, data integration, and editorial clarity.