(pictured: Guest Celebrity Chef Vikram Vij to host a dinner at Hester Creek Nov. 18.)
Hester Creek Estate Winery is sitting on some of the most beautiful property in the Okanagan. Wide vineyards are hugged by rolling hillsides. The summer sun blazes above, creating a stilling effect on intertwined grape vines tidily arranged in rows below. It’s that perfect picture you want to run right into. And you’re invited to do just that.
Getting visitors to enjoy “all the things that are good about life” is what Hester Creek is all about, said Director of Hospitality Roger Gillespie. “Wine, food and music is kind of our culture. So we hold events that help with continued education and our culture of food and wine.”
Openness toward unorthodox events are further elevating Hester Creek’s community profile. This fall, for example, they’ll hold the third annual Garlic Festival.
It’s a fundraiser for Oliver Elementary School’s farm-to-table lunch program and bursting with flavour.
“It’s a celebration of the stinky bulb and its many uses,” said Gillespie.
Live music, local artisans and family friendly events will take place Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The following month, the winery is offering an event for those who have exotic tastes.
Chef Vikram Vij from Vancouver runs an Indian restaurant that The New York Times once called “easily one of the finest Indian restaurants in the world.”
“He’s coming to cook and host a dinner Nov. 18, and we’re very excited,” said Gillespie. Vij will cook a multi-course meal that will be paired with Hester Creek wines. Tickets for that event are on sale now.
Daily, on the half hour, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the winery’s on site kitchen is open to guests who want to sample three wines that are paired with canapés.
“The intention is to discuss the interaction of the wine with food,” he said.
Those events are $10 per person for a 30-minute experience.
The Judge $45.00
This big, ripe wine offers smoky aromas of fig, plum and leather followed by generous flavours of coffee, chocolate and blackberry in the mid-palate, all finishing with long, silky tannins.
Pour it alongside a plate of medium to strong cheeses, or pair it with a well-marbled rib eye or duck confit.
Chardonnay $24.95
The wine showcases aromas of honey, citrus, smoke and butterscotch and follows with a plate of caramel, fresh lemon and a long round finish. This extremely food driven wine has a diverse cross section of opportunities for pairing.
~ Kathy Michaels