Hester Creek's ample cooperage yields great white wines

Photo: Hester Creek's winery on the Golden Mile

Over the years, Hester Creek Estate Winery has invested in a lot of stainless steel cooperage. Those tanks certainly paid off in the 2021 vintage, judging from all of the wines just released which are brimming with clean, fresh fruit flavours. The 2021 season was one of the hottest in the past 20 years, with the vines actually pausing the development of fruit during the intense heat dome in early July. That had two consequences, one good, one not quite so.

The negative was the low yield. Nearly every grower has reported a reduction in the quantity of fruit produced in the vineyards. On average, the crop was down 25%-30%, and the berries were small. The positive is that the small crop and the small berries has resulted in vivid flavours. The 2021 grapes, aside from the few that suffered smoke taint, invariably show intense aromas and flavours. Hester Creek grows fruit on some of the oldest vines in the Okanagan, which adds to the intensity of flavours.

And that brings me to the stainless steel tanks. The wines reviewed here all were fermented in stainless steel at cold temperatures (often 10◦ C) for about a month. That technique preserves fresh aromas and flavours. It also ties up a lot of cooperage. Happily, Hester Creek has a lot. These are among the most delicious wines from any Okanagan winery this spring.

Here are my notes.

Hester Creek Character White 2021 ($16.99). This is a blend of 66% Pinot Gris and 34% Gewürztraminer. The wine has aromas and flavours of pear, apple and spice, leaving the impression of tropical fruits on the palate. The texture is juicy but the finish is dry. 90.

Hester Creek Pinot Gris 2021 ($17.99). A long, cool fermentation in stainless steel captured the varietal’s bright fruit. The wine begins with aromas of quince, pear and apple, leading to flavours of pear, apple and citrus with a lovely hint of anise on the finish. 92.

Hester Creek Old Vine Pinot Blanc 2021 ($17.99). The wine shows the intensity of aroma and flavour that old vines can deliver. The grapes were fermented cool for 27 days in stainless steel. The wine begins with aromas of honeydew melon and apple, leading to flavours of apple, melon and stone fruits wrapped around a spine of minerality. The finish is crisp. 92.

Hester Creek Cabernet Franc Rosé 2021 ($18.99). This wine presents in the glass with a vibrant hue, the result of giving the whole grapes four days of cold soaking before pressing. A long (22-day) fermentation at a cool temperature preserved the fresh flavours and aromas – there are aromas of cherry, red plum and strawberry, leading to flavours of strawberry, raspberry and tart cherries. 92.

Hester Creek Pinot Gris Viognier 2021 ($19.99). This wine is available in selected Save-On Food stores. The blend is 67% Pinot Gris and 33% Viognier. The grapes were fermented cold for 29 days in stainless steel. The wine is brimming with aromas of apples and citrus fruits. On the palate, there are flavours of apple, pear and lime. The finish is crisp. 91.

Hester Creek Old Vine Trebbiano 2021 ($23.99). This wine, made with the Italian varietal first planted in the vineyard in 1968, is always the white that steals the scene in Hester Creek’s spring release. This wine is intensely fruity, in part because the juice was fermented cold for 32 days. The wine begins with aromas of pear, nectarine and grapefruit. The palate is a fruit bowl laden with flavours of grapefruit, apple and peach. The texture is generous and the finish lingers. 93.