2022 was an epic year for making wine, according to BC’s Hester Creek Estate Winery. The year started out challenging with a late cold start, summer temperatures were not too high, low rainfall during the summer, but then lead to a long, warm end to extend the growing season, allowing the grapes to fully mature. Many wineries noted that their volume of grapes was above average for 2022, Hester Creek included. So with this epic vintage, I have two red wines from Hester Creek to tell you about. I received the Old Vine Cabernet Franc 2022 and Syrah 2022 from them.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Hester Creek Estate Winery Old Vine Cabernet Franc 2022 (BC $29.99)
Winemaker’s notes, “We hand harvested our Cabernet Franc grapes in late November of 2022 to bring out the full expression of the fruit. Each bunch of grapes was hand sorted before being destemmed and sending the whole berries to our Italian Ganimede fermentation tanks where they were cold soaked for two days before undergoing a 15-day fermentation. The wine was then pressed off the skins and encouraged through a malolactic fermentation. It was aged for 18 months in a combination of French and American oak and bottled on May 8, 2024.” These vines were planted in 1968 on the Golden Mile Bench (56 years old at the time of the 2022 vintage). This bottle comes with a nice, solid, since piece of cork to seal the bottle.
Appearance: A deep, clear garnet colour, about 80% opaque.
Nose: Lighter aromas showing red fruits, meatiness, plus touches of oak and plums. The aromas bump up to medium after decanting.
Palate: This wine is dry, medium-plus body with a smooth, soft, thicker mouthfeel. Pronounced flavours. A mix of red and black fruits, black cherries and oak flavours and touches of capsicum and nutmeg on the palate, plus plum and dark chocolate with swirling. A medium-intensity tannic backbone. Medium acidity. More black fruit, a touch of floral, and no capsicum flavours after decanting. The tannins were also a bit softer.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with bright red fruits and cherries on the finish, plus some pepperiness and then sweet spices and black fruit with air. Lightly drying tannins on the finish. More black fruit and no red fruit on the finish after decanting. You can also add dark chocolate on the finish.
A subtle Cabernet Franc. No need to decant. Enjoy at your leisure. I think this wine will age nicely over the next 5-6 years.
Rating: 
Hester Creek Estate Winery Old Vine Cabernet Franc 2022 is deep garnet in the glass, clear and about 80% opaque. The nose begins gently with aromas of red fruits, a meaty note, oak, and plum. It grows to a medium intensity after decanting. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium-plus body and a smooth, plush texture. Pronounced flavours of red and black fruits mingle with black cherries, oak, and hints of capsicum and nutmeg, while swirling brings out plum and dark chocolate. A medium-intensity tannic backbone and balanced acidity support the wine. After decanting, the palate leans more toward black fruit and floral notes, with softer tannins and no capsicum. The medium-plus finish mixes red fruits and cherries with pepper, sweet spice, and black fruit, ending on lightly drying tannins.
Hester Creek Estate Winery Syrah 2022 (BC ~$29.99. Price for 2021 vintage.)
With a classic approach, their Syrah was co-fermented with a small amount of Viognier (a white grape). Viognier’s compounds can stabilize and deepen the colour of Syrah, while its aromatic profile, offers floral and stone fruit notes, adds complexity to the Syrah’s typically savoury character.
Appearance: It has an opaque garnet colour in the glass.
Nose: Medium-plus, deep aromas of raspberries, blackberries, black plums, sweet spices, oak and some meatiness. The aromas lighten a bit after decanting and trend toward more black fruits.
Palate: Dry, medium body with a smooth, soft, round mouthfeel. Medium acidity and tannins. Black fruits, raspberries, blueberries, and black plums flavours along with significant black pepper. Darker fruit flavours with some sweet black fruit flavours toward the finish. Touches of nutmeg and oak. This wine gets bigger and rounder with swirling in the glass. Same aromas, but less black pepper on the palate, which I prefer.
Finish: Medium-plus to long length finishing with black fruits and some sweet black fruit flavours, plus a touch of vanilla and significant black pepper. A dry finish with soft tannins and medium acidity, lending freshness to the finish. Less black pepper on the palate after decanting.
A deep, dark fruited Syrah. No Need to decant, but decanting does reduce the pepperiness, if preferred.
Rating: The Hester Creek Estate Winery Syrah 2022 pours an opaque garnet and offers medium-plus intensity aromas of blackberries, raspberries, plums, sweet spices, oak, and a touch of meatiness. On the palate, it is dry with a medium body and a smooth, round texture, showing flavours of black and blue fruits, prominent black pepper, nutmeg, and oak. With air and decanting, the wine becomes rounder and the pepper tone softens, allowing the sweet black fruit and a hint of vanilla to emerge more clearly. The finish is medium-plus to long with soft tannins, fresh acidity, and lingering dark fruits and pepper.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Both wines are available to purchase from the Hester Creek Estate Winery website:
- Hester Creek Estate Winery Old Vine Cabernet Franc 2022
- Hester Creek Estate Winery Syrah 2022 (2021 vintage link. 2022 should come out soon)
Everything Wine lists both wines, but does not mention the vintage:
BC Liquor stores list the Hester Creek Syrah, but it does not indicate the vintage. Select Save on Foods stores list the Old Vine Cabernet Franc, but does not indicate the vintage.
