After two challenging seasons, the 2025 vintage at Hester Creek Estate Winery is shaping up as one of the strongest recent releases from the South Okanagan, defined by early ripening, excellent fruit quality, and standout consistency across the lineup.
Early tastings point to a vintage marked by ripeness, balance, and impressive phenolic development, with whites already showing purity, texture, and freshness.
If early indications hold, 2025 could emerge as a benchmark vintage for BC white wines.
2025 Harvest: Early, Compressed, High Quality
Harvest began on August 27 with Gewürztraminer, for the return of the Ti Amo blend (Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Muscat), expected in spring 2026.
A warm late August and mid-September accelerated ripening, compressing harvest timelines across the region. Crucially, cooler nights later in the season helped preserve acidity and balance.
Production was strong, finishing at around 1350 tons, with Chardonnay picked nearly 30 days earlier than in 2022. A dry September ensured excellent fruit integrity and flavour concentration.
The outlook is clear: ripe, expressive wines with strong phenolic structure and freshness.
Quick Take: 2025 Highlights
✔ Early, compressed harvest
✔ Strong yields
✔ Excellent phenolic ripeness
✔ Whites showing purity, texture, and freshness
The 2025 Wines
Pinot Gris ($19.99)
Varietal: 100% Pinot Gris
Winemaking: Hand harvested from estate Block 5 and select South Okanagan growers. Destemmed, gently pressed, cold settled, and fermented in stainless steel using Aromaloc. Aged three months in tank before bottling (Jan 2026).
Technical: 13.7% alc | pH 3.44 | TA 6.76 g/L | RS 1.6 g/L
Tasting Notes: 🍏🍈🍑 Bright and expressive with green apple, melon, and Asian pear. A fuller palate reveals apricot, honeycomb, and almond. Perfectly balanced acidity and dryness, and finished with a clean citrus lift. 91 Points
Old Vine Pinot Blanc ($22.99)
Varietal: 100% Pinot Blanc (Golden Mile Bench, Block 4)
Winemaking: Hand-harvested, same-day pressed, cold-settled, and cool-fermented in stainless steel with Aromaloc. Filtered, blended, and bottled January 2026.
Technical: 13.2% alc | pH 3.35 | TA 7.04 g/L | RS 3.0 g/L
Tasting Notes: 🍎🍋🍑 Honeydew melon and baked apple with a hint of nutmeg. A dry, slightly fuller style than the Pinot Gris, showing lemon zest, a honeyed texture, and a vibrant mineral backbone. 91 Points
👉 Explore more: https://bcwinetrends.com/2023/04/21/six-premium-bc-pinot-blanc/
Sauvignon Blanc ($21.99)
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaking: Hand harvested (Sept 6–7) from South Okanagan vineyards. Destemmed, gently pressed, cold-settled, and cool-fermented in stainless steel with Aromaloc. Aged three months in a tank.
Technical: 12.2% alc | pH 3.36 | TA 7.10 g/L | RS 1.89 g/L
Tasting Notes: 🍋🍐🌿 Fresh cut grass, pear, and lime lead the nose. The palate delivers Anjou pear, lemon rind, crisp apple, and gooseberry with a clean, zesty, herb-lifted finish. 90 Points
👉 Explore more: https://bcwinetrends.com/2025/07/29/top-12-best-value-bc-sauvignon-blanc/
Character White ($19.99)
Varietals: 40% Pinot Gris, 30% Gewürztraminer, 30% Chardonnay
Winemaking: Estate and South Okanagan fruit. Each varietal is hand-harvested and fermented separately (23 days) in stainless steel with Aromaloc, then blended and aged for three months in the tank before bottling (Jan 2026).
Technical: 12.0% alc | pH 3.38 | TA 6.98 g/L | RS 9.2 g/L
Tasting Notes:🍑🍊🌸 Off-dry and highly aromatic, with quince, rose petal, orange rind, and lychee. The palate shows honeydew and peach with a soft mineral edge. A polished, crowd-pleasing style. 90 Points
2025 Pinot Gris Viognier ($21.99)
Varietals: Pinot Gris and Viognier
Winemaking: Sourced from estate and select growers. Hand-harvested over multiple passes, destemmed, gently pressed, cold settled, and fermented separately in stainless steel. Aged four months in tank before blending and bottling (Feb 2026).
Technical: 13.0% alc | pH 3.50 | TA 7.10 g/L | RS 9.7 g/L
Tasting Notes: 🍋🍊🍏 Lifted and vibrant with lime zest, tangerine, and anise. The off-dry, unoaked white has complex flavours of green apple, nectarine, red peach, and apricot, with a lime-zest finish and a mineral backbone. 91 Points
Old Vine Trebbiano ($26.99)
Varietal: 100% Trebbiano (Golden Mile Bench, Block 16)
Winemaking: Hand-harvested (Sept 20), destemmed, pressed, cold-settled, and cool-fermented for 31 days in stainless steel. Aged three months in tank before bottling (Feb 2026).
Technical: 12.9% alc | pH 3.25 | TA 7.52 g/L | RS 5.09 g/L
Tasting Notes:🍐🍈🍋 Vibrant aromas of grapefruit, white peach and citrus rind. The medium-bodied white has a rounded palate of honeysuckle, pear, passionfruit, and lemon cream, leading to a soft, textured finish. 92 Points
Also pair the Trebbiano with fresh oysters or Okanagan goat cheese crostinis.
Please visit Hester Creek Estate Winery to purchase their current portfolio of BC wines.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 vintage at Hester Creek reflects a near-ideal growing season, consistent heat, low disease pressure, and excellent ripening conditions.
What stands out most is the consistency across the lineup. From everyday whites to distinctive small-lot wines like the Trebbiano, these releases deliver both immediate appeal and underlying structure.
For consumers, this is a vintage to buy with confidence, particularly for fresh, expressive BC whites that overdeliver on value.
If early tastings are any indication, 2025 will be remembered as a standout year for the South Okanagan.
Planning a Visit?
If you’re heading to the South Okanagan, you can stay right on site at Hester Creek’s villas, or explore other nearby winery stays in our accommodation guide:
👉 https://bcwinetrends.com/2025/03/01/vacation-planning-bc-wineries-with-accommodation/
Raise a glass to the 2025 vintage. 🍷