BC’s Hester Creek Estate Winery made two delicious wines that would go well with your holiday dinners. Both are elegant, flavourful, not heavy-bodied. I received their Source Collection Chardonnay 2023 and Syrah 2022 to review. The Source Collection represents a source of inspiration, these wines represent the treasured qualities of their rare Old Vine vineyard and that of their select South Okanagan growers. Now, let me tell you about them.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Hester Creek Estate Winery Chardonnay 2023 (BC ~$24.99. 2022 vintage price.)
Winemaker’s notes, “The grapes for our 2023 Chardonnay were hand harvested from two South Okanagan vineyards. Each bunch was hand sorted and whole cluster pressed to retain the best quality of the juice and showcase the terroir. The juice was cold settled for five days prior to 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.”
Appearance: It is a medium-plus intensity, bright, clear lemon colour in the glass. Teardrops are visible on the sides of the glass after swirling.
Nose: Medium-plus aromas of ripe pineapple and pears, plus touches of oak, sweet spices and butterscotch. Elegant. No change after decanting.
Palate: Medium-plus body with a round, soft, luscious mouthfeel. Ripe pineapple and pears on the palate along with a hint of oak. Fruity flavours. The fruitiness grows with decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with a mix of tartness and some oaky dryness. Ripe pineapple and touches of pepperiness and butteriness on the finish. No change to the finish after decanting.
A quality Chardonnay. Not overpowered with oak. No need to decant.
Rating: 
The Hester Creek Estate Winery Chardonnay 2023 delights with a bright, clear lemon hue and enticing aromas of ripe pineapple, pear, and a touch of oak and butterscotch. On the palate, it offers a medium-plus body with a luscious mouthfeel, showcasing ripe pineapple and pear with a hint of oak that grows with decanting. The medium-plus finish balances tartness with oaky dryness, accented by buttery and peppery notes.
Hester Creek Estate Winery Syrah 2022 (BC ~$29.99. 2021 vintage price.)
Their Syrah is co-fermented with a small amount of Viognier. This tends to extract more colour from the Syrah grape and add a floral component to the wine. A common practice in the Rhone Valley, France. After initial fermentation, it went through a second malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity in the wine. The wine was then aged for 14 months using 60% American and 40% French oak barrels before bottling.
Appearance: This wine has a deep ruby colour. Teardrops are visible on the sides of the glass after swirling.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of juicy berries, plus touches of meatiness, oak, nutmeg and black pepper. The aromas bump up to medium after decanting.
Palate: This wine is dry with medium-plus body, a soft and lightly round mouthfeel. Juicy berries, plums, blackberry flavours, plus touches of floral, black pepper, nutmeg, and vanilla. Some candied red cherry flavours toward the finish. Medium acidity and light dusty tannins. The wine has a lighter body after decanting; it has the same flavours but may be a bit fruitier.
Finish: A long length, finishing with juicy berries, touches of sweet candied cherries, nutmeg, vanilla, oak, and pepperiness. Some mouthwatering acidity and light tannins. The tannins firm up a bit more after decanting. No change to the flavours.
Another great quality wine with fresh juicy berry aromas and flavours. A smooth and round mouthfeel No need to decant.
Rating: The Hester Creek Estate Winery Syrah 2022 presents a deep ruby hue and aromas of juicy berries, meaty notes, and spices like nutmeg and black pepper, which intensify with decanting. On the palate, it offers juicy berry and plum flavours with hints of floral, pepper, and vanilla, complemented by a soft, round mouthfeel and light dusty tannins. A long finish highlights candied cherries, oak, and spice, with firmer tannins emerging after decanting.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
The current vintages of these two wines are not yet listed on Hester Creek’s website. I assume that these wines will be listed soon. Check their Wines page often.
