I have two BC wines that come from WA state grapes as a result of the devastating January 2024 cold snap that hit BC’s interior, wiping out some or all grape vines for many BC wineries. Luckily our neighbour to the south, WA state, also was affected, but not as badly, and was able to tend and harvest their grapes and offer grapes for us to purchase and make wine with on this difficult year. The two wines come from Hester Creek Estate Winery. The wines are Hester Creek Estate Winery Meritage Columbia Valley Collection 2024 and Petit Verdot Malbec Columbia Valley Collection 2024. You notice that Hester Creek put “Columbia Valley Collection” on the label to not confuse BC wine lovers with the origin of these grapes. Here are my tasting notes for these two wines.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Hester Creek Estate Winery Meritage Columbia Valley Collection 2024 (BC $22.99)
A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Winemaker’s notes, “A blend of Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, the grapes were all hand harvested from the Red Mountain AVA. The Cabernet Franc and Malbec were the first to be harvested on October 4, 2025 and were cold soaked for two days prior to being co-fermented for 10 days. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on October 3 and 5, cold soaked for one day before a 14-day fermentation. All lots went through a malolactic fermentation before being pressed off and cross blended to age for eight months in American and French oak. The final wine was racked blended and bottled on July 10, 2025.”
Appearance: Deep, almost opaque to the rim, garnet colour.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas of juicy berries, blackberries, plums, and touches of smokiness, oak, black pepper, and leather. There is no change to the aromas after decanting.
Palate: Dryish, medium-minus body, with a soft, smooth, round mouthfeel. Bright acidity leaves a light prickle in your mouth. Medium, soft-grained tannins. Black plums and cherries, blackberries, and raspberries, along with touches of oak, candied cherries, and leather. Add a touch of capsicum to the palate after decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with juicy berry flavours, plus some smoky/toasty notes. A touch hot/peppery at the very end. Tannins firm up on the finish. No change to the finish.
A fruit forward red blend. Easy to enjoy. Can be sipped or enjoyed with a meal. No need to decant.
Rating: 
The Hester Creek Estate Winery Meritage Columbia Valley Collection 2024 shows a deep, almost opaque garnet colour with medium aromas of juicy berries, blackberry, plum, smokiness, oak, black pepper, and leather. The palate is dryish and medium-minus in body with a soft, smooth, round mouthfeel, bright acidity, and medium soft-grained tannins, offering black plum, cherry, blackberry, raspberry, oak, candied cherry, and leather, with a touch of capsicum appearing after decanting. It finishes medium-plus in length with juicy berry flavours and smoky, toasty notes, a touch of heat and pepperiness at the very end, and tannins that firm up on the finish.
Hester Creek Estate Winery Petit Verdot Malbec Columbia Valley Collection 2024 (BC $29)
Winemaker’s notes, “The grapes were hand picked from Red Mountain AVA, located in the Columbia Valley. Each cluster was hand harvested and immediately transported in temperature-controlled trucks to our crush pad. Upon arrival, the grapes were hand sorted, destemmed and cold soaked for two days. The Petit Verdot and Malbec were co-fermented for 18-day days. Malolactic fermentation was encouraged to bring out the rich textures. The wine was then pressed off the skins and cross blended before being aged for 13 months in a combination of American and French oak. The wine was racked, blended, and bottled on February 27, 2026.”
Appearance: An opaque, garnet-black colour in the glass.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of cinnamon, black fruits, plums, and cherries. Add touches of cedar and vanilla to the aromas after decanting.
Palate: Dry, medium-minus body to start then works up to medium-plus with air. It is soft and smooth on the palate. Bright, medium-intensity acidity. Medium tannins. Juicy berries, plums, and cinnamon, with touches of oak, violets, and some tartness. Rich, ripe mouthfeel. Medium-minus body after decanting, and I picked up a cedar and a coconut component to add to the other flavours.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with a mix of tart and sweet fruit flavours, along with light cinnamon and violets. Some drying tannins on the finish. The tannins and the tartness are both a bit stronger after decanting. The cedar component continued to the finish.
Intriguing flavours from this uncommon red blend. Floral, berries, and tart fruit. Not much changes after decanting, so enjoy at your leisure. If you enjoy the aroma and flavour of cedar, you can give this wine a short decant to bring out this component.
Rating: – 
The Hester Creek Estate Winery Petit Verdot Malbec Columbia Valley Collection 2024 shows an opaque garnet-black colour with medium-minus aromas of cinnamon, black fruit, plum, and cherry, with touches of cedar and vanilla appearing after decanting. The palate is dry and initially medium-minus in body, with a soft, smooth mouthfeel, bright medium-intensity acidity, and medium tannins, offering juicy berries, plum, cinnamon, oak, violets, and some tartness. After decanting, the body remains medium-minus, with cedar joining the flavours. It finishes medium-plus in length with a mix of tart and sweet fruit, light cinnamon, violets, and cedar, with stronger tannins and tartness after decanting.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Both wines are available for purchase online from the Hester Creek website:
- Hester Creek Estate Winery Meritage Columbia Valley Collection 2024
- Hester Creek Estate Winery Petit Verdot Malbec Columbia Valley Collection 2024
The Hester Creek Estate Winery Meritage Columbia Valley Collection 2024 is available at select Everything Wine stores at $28.98 and select Save On Foods stores at $25.49.
