With the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival around the corner, there is a lot on the calendar at Hester Creek Estate Winery. On September 29, join them for the first Annual Garlic Festival. Activities at the winery will include displays by garlic growers, local artisans, food vendors, food and wine pairings and live local entertainment. Admission is by donation and all proceeds from that collection go to Hester Creek’s chosen charity, the Oliver Elementary School lunch program. The Fall Wine Festival offerings will also include “Gusta d’Italia” or “A Taste of Italy”, a series of limited seating wine paired dinners hosted by Hester Creek’s new Hospitality Manager Roger Gillespie. Roger joins the team from a food and beverage background, so he will not only host the dinners, but cook the meal as well. Tickets for these dinners are $110 each and they will be offered on October 1, 2, 3 & 4. The Garlic Festival and the “Gusta d’Italia” dinners will be the perfect end to a fun filled season that included a concert on the winery lawn by well-known BC entertainer Lisa Brokop. Keep in touch with the winery over the winter through their website or their wine club to see what exciting events they will have in store for next year!
Festivals and other happenings are not the only reason to stop at Hester Creek. Don’t forget about their award winning wines. In July, the winery was awarded a Lieutenant Governor’s Award for their 2008 Reserve Merlot. This competition is open to all wines produced in BC from 100% BC grapes and there is some stiff competition. There were 346 wines entered, and 11 medals were awarded, so Winemaker Rob Summers and the rest of the team are justifiably proud.
Exciting fall releases include:
The 2010 Reserve Cabernet Franc $26.99
A fantastic buy. Deep purple in the glass with a nose so intense and rich that you can smell it from across the table, this wine is a temptress. The palate is alive with flavours of ripe blackberries and cocoa supported by fine tannins. The finish is delightfully long and puts one in mind of the next sip.
2009 Judge $45.00
A big, beautiful wine as well. This Bordeaux style blend is dark purple and seductively earthy on the nose. The palate is bursting with notes of fennel, cherries and marmalade with truly fine and delicate tannins. It has everything; rich, dark and handsome.
~ Courtney Fossett