2022 was a super vintage for the Okanagan wineries. Hester Creek Estate Winery, as part of this epic vintage, vinified their first Super Tuscan style wine, named UNDICI. To taste UNDICI is to taste a little bit of Italy. UNDICI joins The Judge and Garland as part of their Origin Series wines. Together these three wines reflect the beautiful terroir and diversity of the Okanagan Valley. I opened UNDICI 2022 so that I can spend time to evaluate it without the distractions of other wines. I also have the 2022 The Judge and Garland which I will taste separately.
What does “undici” mean? Undici is the Italian word for the number eleven. How does that relate to this wine? The grapes for this wine were harvested from the Osoyoos East Bench Vineyard, which is nicknamed Vineyard Eleven for producing premium grapes that they rate at 11/10 for quality.
If you have never heard of the term “Super Tuscan” before, it is an Italian wine produced in the Tuscan wine region, using Sangiovese as the primary grape blended with other vitis vinifera grapes from outside of Italy. Typically, grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are in a Super Tuscan blend. UNDICI 2022 is a blend of 61% Sangiovese, 19% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. Here are my wine tasting notes.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Hester Creek Estate Winery UNDICI 2022 (BC $59.99)
The grapes for this wine were hand harvested and sorted before being destemmed and pressed. The juice was cold soaked for two days prior to inoculation with yeast. The juice was fermented for 20 days in their Ganimede tanks before being pressed off and barrelled for 24 months in 100% French oak before being racked, blended, and bottled on June 5, 2025.
Appearance: This wine has a medium intensity, dull garnet colour. Visible teardrops on the sides of the glass with swirling.
Nose: Medium intensity, inviting aromas of red fruits, cinnamon and nutmeg, blackberries, black cherries and a touch of oak. I picked up more sweet cherry aromas after decanting.
Palate: It is dry, lighter bodied with a very smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Lighter acidity and soft tannins. You get a mix of red and black fruits, in particular blackberries and red cherries, along with a hint of candied cherries, oak, and chocolate. With more time in the glass, I also picked up a touch of capsicum. The wine moves up to medium body, acidity and tannins after decanting. The sweet cherry intensity also bumps up and I now pick up some vanilla on the palate after decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length, finishing with red fruits, some tart fruit flavours, sweet spices, then touches of oak, pepperiness, and vanilla at the very end. Add more red cherries to the palate after decanting on the finish.
Rating: 
Hester Creek Estate Winery UNDICI 2022 has a medium intensity garnet colour with inviting aromas of red and black fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg, black cherries, and a light touch of oak. Decanting increases sweet cherries aromatics. On the palate it is dry and initially lighter in body with a smooth, thicker texture, offering blackberries, red cherries, hints of candied cherry, chocolate, and oak, gaining a little more weight, vanilla, and cherries as it opens. The medium-plus finish shows red and tart fruits with sweet spices, oak, and a light peppery note that lingers nicely.
Where Can I Buy This Wine?
The wine will be available for purchase in the spring. It would be for sale on the Hester Creek website for sure. Their other Origin wines are available at BC Liquor stores and Everything Wine stores, so would assume that this wine would be available there as well. Buy a few bottles as this is the inaugural vintage.
