Hester Creek showcases 2022 red wines

Photo: Winemaker Mark Hopley (courtesy Hester Creek)

Mark Hopley, the winemaker at Hester Creek Estate Winery, has proclaimed the quality of the 2022 vintage early and often. “The vintage will be remembered as a milestone year for producing exceptional, fruit-forward and age-worthy wines,” says the vintage note released with the wines. The vintage will also be remembered for setting up the Okanagan and Similkameen vineyards was disastrous damage to vines and entire vineyards in the winter of 2022-23. At least a third of all vineyards have been, or will have to be, replanted.

The long, warm autumn in 2022 allowed viticulturists to leave grapes, especially the reds, on the wine to the end of October and beyond. The prolonged hang time is why the 2022 wines have so much flavour. The quantity of fruit was also large. But vines need time to shut down for winter after harvest, especially if they have been carrying a heavy load. A lot of vines were not quite ready when the temperature plunged suddenly after mid-November. Hester Creek practices competent viticulture. Its excellent site appears to have suffered less winter damage than many other vineyards. In spite of the smaller harvest in 2023, the winery this past year expanded its barrel program by 30%, added 138,000 litres of stainless steel tanks, tripled chilling capacity and installed four new Ganimede red fermentation tanks. The winery now has 18 Ganimedes fermenters.

Hester Creek began with two of these Italian-made fermenters in 2006. They allow the winemakers to sculpt the taste and texture of Hester Creek’s reds. The design of the tanks captures the carbon dioxide creating during fermentation, using it to gently break up the cap of skins and seeds. The wine macerates on the skins without picking up the harsh tannins that can be extracted with more heavy-handed punch-downs. To the best of my knowledge, no other Okanagan winery has installed the Ganimedes, perhaps because they are expensive. However, they are paying off for Hester Creek.

Here are notes on four recent red wine releases:

Hester Creek Select Vineyards Merlot 2022 ($19.99). The deep colour and the vivid fruit flavours of this wine reflect the use of the winery’s Ganimede fermentation tanks. Colour and flavour is extracted gently but fully with this technology. The wine was aged seven months in French (60%) and American oak barrels. The wine begins with aromas of cherry and blackberry leading to flavours of dark cherry mingled with chocolate and spice. 90.

Hester Creek Select Vineyards Cabernet Merlot 2022 ($21.99). The blend is 50% Cabernet Franc, 38% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit was from the estate vineyard and from growers in Oliver and Osoyoos. The individual varietals were fermented in the Ganimedes, then blended and aged eight months in French (75%) and American oak barrels. The wine begins with aromas of dark cherry, blackberry and spice. On the palate, there are generous flavours of plum, cherry, and black currant. Long, ripe tannins lead to a long finish. 91.

Hester Creek Character Red 2022 ($22.99). This wine is a blend of Hester Creek’s unique Italian Merlot clone with Syrah, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The wine was aged eight months in French (75%) and American oak. The wine begins with aromas of blackberry, dark cherry and pepper. Generous in texture, the wine fills the mouth with flavours of blackberry, blueberry, cherry and pepper. 91.

Hester Creek Old Vine Cabernet Franc 2021 ($29.99). This historic block of Cabernet Franc in the estate vineyard delivers flavours with intensity and depth. The berries were cold-soaked for three days and then macerated for 15 days during fermentation. The wine was aged 18 months in French (75%) and American oak barrels. The wine begins with aromas of blackberry, raspberry and red currants, leading to flavours of spicy dark fruits and a long, persistent finish. 93.