Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/72545
COVER STORY The wines have begun to win significant awards from national and international competitions. For example, Hester Creek 2008 Reserve Cabernet Franc ($27) won one of three gold medals for the variety at the 2011 Canadian Wine Awards. The Judge 2007, the debut vintage of that wine, won silver medals last year at the West Coast Wine Competition in Santa Rosa, Calif., and the Los Angeles Inter- national Wine & Spirits Competi- tion. The 2009 Character Red, also the first vintage for this blend, won gold in Los Angeles, and the 2010 Character White won gold at the Canadian Wine Awards. The 2010 Hester Creek Pinot Gris won gold at the Northwest Wine Summit and silver at the Canadian Wine Awards. The 2010 Trebbiano won silver at the West Coast Wine Com- petition. Summers has shaped the win- ery's portfolio into well-defined tiers, along with a modest bag-in- box program capped at the equiva- lent of about 2,000 cases a year. Hester Creek's Winemaker Series, retailing between $16 and $19 a bottle, relies both on estate-grown fruit and purchased grapes. Estate- grown grapes are used exclusively in the $20 Character blends, in the Reserve Block Series (cabernet franc, merlot and Old Vines Treb- biano) and in The Judge. The Judge is a 300-case Bor- Hester Creek's signature wines include "The Judge," and red and white versions of "Character." mers observed. "I don't think that is going to be an issue here." The winery's Italian-made Gani- mede fermenters, Sheridan said, are an example of Hester Creek empowering its employees. Sum- mers made the argument in 2006 to buy two because he believed he could make better wines with them. As the results began to show, he has been able to install 10 more, costing between $45,000 and $60,000 each, depending on size. No other Okanagan winery has this technology, which traps fermentation gases, using them to break the cap and mix the must WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM gently. Summers said he believes that Hester Creek is the only win- ery in North America that ferments all of its reds – 60% of its produc- tion – in Ganimedes. The gentle extraction gives the Hester Creek reds a juicy texture with no harsh tannins. "That's the style of wines I make," Summers said. "I know other guys like a little more of that earthy, reductive character. They think it adds complexity. I am not going to argue against that – but for my style of winemaking, I like the wines fresh and clean and fairly vibrant." deaux-style red blend made with the best lots in the cellar. It is the wine with which Summers endeav- ours to keep the promise of making the best Okanagan red. Based in North Vancouver, B.C., John Schreiner has authored 14 wine books since 1984, including three Whitecap best-sellers: "Brit- ish Columbia Wine Country," "The Wineries of British Columbia" and "John Schreiner's Okanagan Wine Tour Guide." He frequently judges at wine competitions, and blogs at http://johnschreiner.blogspot.com. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwm-online.com. JULY - AUG 2012 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT 47