While it is transitioning to spring in Vancouver, we can still enjoy big red wines with hearty meals as well as start the bbq and have red wines with our grilled meats as well. I have two red wines from Hester Creek Estate Winery that will fit the bill. I opened the Hester Creek Syrah 2020 and the Hester Creek Character Red 2021. The Character Red is a blend made with Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Malbec grapes. Both wines are vegan-friendly. These labels have debossing (depressions instead of a raised design) behind the text of a vine and its roots, which adds some class to the labels. Now, let me tell you about these two wines.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Hester Creek Syrah 2020 (BC $29.99)
A wine co-fermented with 85% Syrah and 15% Viognier, the grapes come from the Golden Mile Bench. Co-fermenting Syrah with Viognier is a long tradition in the northern Rhone Valley. The wine is aged in 60% American oak and 40% French oak barrels (2/3 were neutral barrels) for 14 months.
Appearance: A deep dull garnet colour, about 90% opaque. Teardrops are visible on the bowl with swirling.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity lovely aromas of spearmint, blueberries, black pepper and plums, then some cocoa with swirling. The aromas were lighter after decanting. I did pick up a vanilla scent, but could no longer detect the cocoa.
Palate: Dry, medium-bodied and super smooth. Round but not quite mouth-filling. Bright acidity. Light fine tannins. Black fruit, blueberries, plums and oak flavours, plus a touch of floral toward the finish with swirling. The wine was a bit softer and less floral with decanting, and I detected a touch of nutmeg spice.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with ripe black fruit flavours, a touch of bitter oak and dusty tannins. The finish had no change with decanting.
The undecanted version of the wine has a bit nicer aromas plus I enjoy the touch of floral on the palate. But if you are willing to decant for a long time, e.g. 2 days, the wine really becomes very nice, with juicy berry fruit flavours and vibrant acidity.
Rating: 
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Lovely aromas of spearmint, blueberries, plums and black pepper. Dry and very smooth. Black fruit, blueberries, plums and oak flavours, plus a touch of floral toward the finish. Medium-plus length.
Hester Creek Character Red 2021 (BC $22.99)
Winemaker’s notes, “…a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Malbec, including a unique clone of old vine Merlot originally from Italy. The grapes were carefully sorted, destemmed and gently fermented in separate lots in our Ganimede fermenters. After a light pressing and malolactic fermentation, the lots were blended and aged for 8 months in French and American oak.”
Appearance: A deep dull, garnet colour, About 85% opaque. Teardrops are visible with swirling.
Nose: Medium intensity, deep aromas of sweet spices, smoke, toast, dark fruit, black plums, and oak. Nice aromas. No change to the aromas after decanting.
Palate: Dry, medium-bodied with a light mouthfeel. Bright medium-intensity acidity and light, fine-grained tannins. Lifted flavours of black fruits, along with touches of leather, mineral, dark chocolate and then floral and vanilla toward the finish. No change to the flavours after decanting.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with a light touch. Tart black fruit, leather, some pepperiness and oak bitterness. No change to the finish with decanting.
Open and enjoy this wine!
Rating: Deep aromas of sweet spices, smoke, toast, dark fruit, black plums, and oak. Dry with medium-intensity acidity and light, fine-grained tannins. Lifted flavours of black fruits, along with touches of leather, mineral, dark chocolate and then floral and vanilla toward the finish. Medium-plus length.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
These wines are available for purchase through the winery’s website:
