Hester Creek Estate Winery Origin Series
Inspired by the legendary super Tuscan wines of Italy.
Today I am introducing you to two of the special wines from the Hester Creek Estate Winery Origin series. Wines of phenomenal origin and destiny, the Judge and Garland are crafted from the best barrels in the Hester Creek Cellar, and are an authentic expression of the South Okanagan terroir.
2022 The Judge
New Vintage!
Tasting Notes
Lifted aromas of star anise, dark cherry, cocoa, purple basil and cedar precede a palate with initial notes of cocoa, roasted fennel, ripe Lapin cherry, a hint of caramel with light tobacco notes on the lengthy full finish. This wine would pair extremely well with slow smoked ribs or a barbecued ribeye.
Double Gold, Northwest Wine Awards
Gold, Platinum Awards 2025
Winemaker Notes
The long growing season of 2022 made for an extensive harvest with all the grapes being hand picked. The Petit Verdot and Malbec were the first to be harvested on October 12, and were followed by the Cabernet Sauvignon on October 27, Merlot on October 28, and finally the Cabernet Franc on December 1. Each bunch of grapes was hand sorted and destemmed into our Ganimede fermentation tanks where they were cold soaked for two days prior to fermentation. The Petit Verdot and Malbec were co-fermented with the rest of the lots being fermented separately. After the primary and malolactic fermentations, the lots were blended and barrelled down into a combination of new and neutral French oak for a subtle oak integration. They were aged in their respective barrels for 24 months, then racked, cross blended and bottled on May 7, 2025.
$49.99 available online and at the winery
The Judge was available for tasting at the 2026 Vancouver International Wine Festival. The wine was elegant and rich. With outstanding scents of dark, ripe fruit and a touch of old pipe tobacco. The wine exhibits depth and complexity.
2022 Garland
Tasting Notes
Aromas of cedar, clove, tobacco leaf, pencil shavings and ripe blackberry. The palate is refined, yet plush with notes of plum, cassis, vanilla and bergamot. The tannin structure is full and round suggesting great aging potential. Pair this wine with a classic peppercorn NY striploin.
Silver, Cascadia International 2025 Wine Competition
Winemaker Notes
Made up of four varietals, the Petit Verdot and Malbec were hand harvested on October 12, with the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc being handpicked on November 9. All the bunches were hand sorted and destemmed with the whole berries going into our Ganimede fermentation tanks to be cold soaked for two days prior to fermentation. The Petit Verdot and Malbec were co-fermented to create an infusion of aromas and flavours, and the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were fermented separately to pull out its distinctive characteristics. The lots were then cross blended and barrelled down into exclusively French oak where they aged for 24 months and were subsequently racked, blended and bottled in May of 2025.
$64.99 available online and at the winery
An exceptional blend that transports you to the hills of the Okanagan Valley where terroir is paramount. With a nod to Tuscan environs you will find this wine is smooth and silky in the mouth. The intense aromas which are very unique to this wine will excite you. Like velvet with balanced tannins it excites with its exquisite finish.
Vineyard Notes
The 2022 season at Hester Creek will be remembered as one of the most challenging, yet productive years. With the addition of new vineyards, the 2022 harvest yielded a larger crop than average. Due to cooler-than-expected spring temperatures and more rain than is typical of the South Okanagan, the season was off to a late start. By summer, temperatures rose and lasted into the autumn, extending the season with the warmest September and October on record. Growing degree days reached 1676 on average. This longer growing season led to longer hang times for the fruit as they developed phenolic ripeness. Harvest began on September 9th with our Ti Amo and finished on December 1st with our Old Vine Cabernet Franc. For the white varietals, longer hang times resulted in delicate aromatics. The red varietals hung on the vine throughout November allowing the grapes to concentrate their colours and flavours. The 2022 vintage will be remembered as a milestone year for producing exceptional, fruit-forward and age-worthy wines.
Bench Club
Join our Bench Club at Hester Creek and experience all the benefits of being a wine club member at one of BC’s top wineries!
We have designed our unique Bench Club to showcase the wonderful, award-winning wines of Hester Creek Estate Winery. As part of the club, you will have first access to special rewards, new releases and events.
There are two options to join Hester Creek’s Bench Club; Terra Unica and Loyalty. Read on to learn more about the features and benefits of each option.
Bench Club Intro
Join the Bench Club and earn 10% of your purchases back in points to spend on more wine, merchandise or a stay at The Villa. As part of the Bench Club, you’ll receive first access to events, including club-exclusive events, and a complimentary Signature Tasting for up to four people once per year in our Bench Club Lounge.
Don’t live locally? No problem. We provide multiple complimentary shipping features throughout the year to select addresses in Canada, and you’ll be the first to find out when these features become available. Included in these features are newly released wines and library vintages.
Terra Unica
Choose from five convenient packages of 6 or 12 bottles of Hester Creek wine to be shipped quarterly to select Canadian addresses. Shipping is complimentary and you can expect to receive your packages in January, April, July and October. You’ll earn points on all your club purchases plus receive an additional 200 bonus loyalty points upon sign up. Terra Unica has a one-year commitment and no cancellation fee or penalty once the commitment has been fulfilled. Please note, our subscription program does not allow for substitutions but you’re more than welcome to switch to a different package any time you like.
Apart from your quarterly purchases, no membership or annual fees are required. Do you have any questions about how our subscription program works? Send an email to lucia.franco@nullhestercreek.com and she’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.
Loyalty
To join the Bench Club as a Loyalty member and begin earning points, all you need to do is purchase a case of 12 wines from the Wine shop or our online store. From that first purchase, you’ll begin earning points towards future purchases as well as receiving email updates on our upcoming events and promotions. If after one year as a member of Terra Unica you decide you no longer want quarterly shipments, you will become a member of Loyalty and keep your points.
Apart from your initial purchase, no membership or annual fees required.
Referrals
Signing up for Terra Unica because a friend referred you? Let us know! Send an email to benchclub@nullhestercreek.com to put an extra $10 in your friend/family members’ account. You too will receive the referral bonus when you tell a friend to sign up and they let us know.
*Must be an active Terra Unica club member to receive the referral bonus.
OUR MISSION
To passionately offer our guests memorable experiences through quality wines and gracious hospitality.
OUR VISION
To be the Canadian winery of choice.
OUR VALUES
Passion, Collaboration, Loyalty, Integrity and Authenticity.
The estate now sits on land that was purchased in 1967 by BC wine pioneer, Joe Busnardo. With his Italian roots, Joe recognized the land’s potential and made a trip back to his home country to take cuttings of Vitis vinifera vines, bring them back to Canada and plant them in 1968.
In 2004, BC entrepreneur, Curt Garland, purchased Hester Creek Estate Winery and made substantial investments to the vineyard and winemaking. His vision was to create the Tuscan experience here in British Columbia’s wine country through luxury accommodation, fine dining and a state-of-the art winemaking facility and tasting room.
Today, Hester Creek sits on 115 acres of land with 88 acres planted under vine. Our wines are crafted by Winemaker, Mark Hopley, who takes his inspiration from the terroir and leads a team of future Okanagan winemakers. Every year we host a multitude of guests who come back time and again to enjoy the wine, culinary experiences, panoramic views and live music events.
We invite you to join us at Hester Creek to enjoy the full estate experience.