Hester Creek lubricates my discussion group

Photo: Hester Creek Winemaker Rob Summers

One tradition of a biweekly discussion group to which I belong is that we lubricate the conversations with a bottle or two of wine.

These are not formal tastings. Someone just brings an interesting (and reasonably -priced) bottle. It is enjoyed while we solve whatever are the current problems of the world.

It is a stimulating group. Several subscribe to The Economist. Most have lived or worked abroad before retiring. One or two still run adult education programs. All appreciate a nice glass of wine.

I took Hester Creek red wines to two recent gatherings. They were very well received, with a couple of my companions making note of the wines with the intent to purchasing them. The wines (including those reviewed here) appealed because their quality clearly over-delivered for the price.

A winery formerly with a spotty history, Hester Creek has been turned around dramatically since it was acquired by Curtis Garland. In 2006, he recruited veteran Ontario winemaker Rob Summers. Subsequently, he put in place a capable team to support Rob and to unlock the potential of the vineyard.

The Hester Creek vineyard is one of the best vineyards on the Golden Mile. It was planted originally by Joe Busnardo, beginning in 1968. While there has been a lot of replanting since, there remain some 50-year-old vines. That fruit produces wine of remarkable depth and flavour.

In addition to the vineyard, one of Hester Creek’s advantages is that its red wines are fermented in Italian-made Ganimede fermenters. This technology extracts good colour and flavour from the grapes but does it gently. Hester Creek reds are notable for their long, ripe and gentle tannins which make the texture approachable.

I am pleased to recommend Hester Creek to my discussion group – and to anyone else who trusts my palate.

Here are notes on current releases.

Hester Creek Selected Barrels Cabernet Merlot 2018 ($17.99 for 4.000 cases). This was one of the wines tasted at the discussion group. The wine is a blend of 49% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Cabernet Franc. The wine was aged eight months in barrel (50% American oak, 50% French oak). The wine displays the characteristic Hester Creek style: long, ripe tannins give the wine an approachable juicy texture. It has aromas of black cherry and mocha chocolate, followed by flavours of black cherry, plum, vanilla and chocolate. 91.

Hester Creek Selected Barrels Merlot 2018 ($17.99 for 5,000 cases). The delicious wine was aged eight months in barrel (50% American, 50% French).  It begins with aromas of blueberries and blackberries, leading to flavours of bright berry fruit (cherry and plum) with mocha and vanilla on the finish. 91.

Hester Creek Character Red 2018 ($18.99 for 3,780 cases). Another of the discussion group wines, this is a blend of 40% Merlot, 29% Syrah, 14% Petit Verdot and 8% Malbec. The wine was aged six to eight months in barrel (50% American, 50% French). Dark in colour, it begins with spicy aromas of dark cherry and other dark fruit, mingled with hints of coffee and pepper. On the palate, there are flavours of dark cherry, plum and blackberry. The texture is round and satisfying. 90.

Hester Creek Reserve Merlot Block 2 2017 ($25.99 for 729 cases). This wine was aged 12 months in barrel (75% French, 25% American). The wine’s rich aromas and flavours reflect the fact that the vines are nearly 50 years old. The fruit was fermented for 18 days in the winery’s Ganimede ferments to extract optimum aromas, flavours and colour. The aromas jump from the glass – chocolate, black cherry, plum. On the palate, the wine is bursting with flavours of black cherry, blueberry and plum jam. The texture is seductive and silky. 93.

Hester Creek Reserve Cabernet Franc Block 1 2017 ($25.99 for 1,680 cases). This is a remarkably expressive wine, beginning with aromas of plum and blackberry. On the palate, the concentrated texture reveals flavours of blackberry, plum and fig. The finish is persistent. 92.

Hester Creek Late Harvest Pinot Blanc 2018 ($16.99 for 750 cases of 200 ml). The grapes for this wine were picked November 30, 2018, no doubt after being frozen nearly to Icewine concentration. The finished wine has 72 grams of residual sugar, with enough acid to keep the wine fresh and lively. It begins with aromas of honey, nectarine and ripe apple. Luscious on the palate, the wine presents a medley of orchard fruit flavours. The finish is persistent. Serve this with soft blue cheese. 90.