Deborah Podurgiel scored this wine: 94/100

Yuuuuuum Alert on Hester Creek Estate Winery's The Judge (2021). Love this dry, full-bodied, deep ruby and dusty Bordeaux-style red from Hester Creek Estate Winery. Although Judge 2021 is a big wine, the aromas are subtle with nuances of blue florals, sandalwood, savoury herbs, dark cherry, meaty ripe dark berry notes with just a touch of vanilla and a hint of spice. Beautifully balanced with velvety tannins and savoury replays on the palate, this vegan-friendly, grown and made in B.C. red is a blend of 46% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Youthful but elegant, Judge 2021 shows refinement with a touch of sass. You be the judge, but it's 94 pts in my books. Drink or hold to 2035. Tasted August 2025. Enjoyed with lamb chops from the grill and a summer potato and green bean salad. Grapes were fermented in the winery’s Italian Ganimede fermentation tanks prior to the wine being gently pressed off the skins and “encouraged through a malolactic fermentation.” Wine lots were blended and barreled in a combination of new and neutral French oak barrels then aged 24 months in barrel.

Deborah Podurgiel scored this wine: 93/100

From Hester Creek Estate Winery's Epic Series, Garland (2022) is a top-tier Bordeaux-style red you will definitely want to be selfish with . Soon to be released in the fall of 2025 for the holidays, Garland 2022 is a graceful, sophisticated and contemplative red wine blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec. Deep, dark and refined with subtle cedar and baking spice aromas layered over sweet dried tobacco leaf and ripe blackberry compote, the wine is dry, full-bodied, ultra-balanced and generous with ripe and rich dark fruit flavours, hints of dried garden herbs and a whiff of vanilla plushy and long on the palate. A wine with great aging potential, enjoy it now through 2035. The finished wine was aged 24 months in 100% French oak barriques.Tasted September 2025.

Deborah Podurgiel scored this wine: 94/100

Hester Creek Estate Winery Epic Series Syrah (2022) is indeed epic! In my glass, their best one yet and in my books 94pts! Love, love, love this Syrah. A gobsmacking gorgeous Syrah (co-fermented with some Viognier) from a great vintage, the wine is smooth, sophisticated and contemplative. Deep and dark ruby in the glass, it is inviting with aromas of pink and blue florals, dark berry, cherry, meaty and subtle spicy flavours velvety on the palate. Fresh with bright and balanced acidity, it teases with blackberry notes, anise and cracked pepper spice lingering on a soul-satisfying finish. A beautifully crafted Syrah, I did manage to overnight it to try it with both a T-Bone roast beef and the next day with Tomahawk Pork Chops from the grill. It was absolutely amazing with both entrées. Tasted August 2025. The Syrah grapes for this vintage were hand-sorted, destemmed and cold soaked for two days prior to yeast inoculation. After a maceration of 15 days, the wine was pressed off its skins and underwent malolactic conversion. The co-fermented wine (Syrah/Viognier) was aged for 14 months in 60% American and 40% French oak barrels. Drink now through 2030-plus.

Deborah Podurgiel scored this wine: 92/100

Fort Berens Estate Winery Cabernet Franc (2022) is a classic made for Cabernet Franc lovers! A deep dusty ruby in the glass, fragrant with white pepper, bell pepper, licorice, dried sweet tobacco, bramble leaf and raspberry fruit leather aromas, it is dry, medium-plus-bodied verging on full-bodied and balanced with ripe dark berry, crushed raspberry, pepper and sweet tobacco spice with a hint of vanilla and a long spicy finish with mildly grippy and sticky tannins. Meant to age, but very drinkable now, lightly chill it up to bring out all those magnificent fruit flavours and do decant for two hours prior to pouring it with a traditional rosemary and garlic rubbed rack of lamb or lamb chops from the grill. An exceptional quality single estate Cab Franc with so much promise, enjoy it now through the end of the decade. Tasted July 2025.

Deborah Podurgiel scored this wine: 91/100

Orchard + Field is a new creation from Haywire Winery and was inspired by one of the toughest years in BC wine history -- the deep freeze of January 2024. While Christine Coletta and her GVR team chose not to rely on imported wine, instead "deepening their connection to the land and diversify sustainably. Rather than introduce a one-time product, we focused on creating something that we can build on well into the future.” Juicy fresh and zingy on the palate with bright berry notes balanced with the bright acidity of heritage apples all sourced from the Garnet Valley Ranch. Best of all -- it's 5% abv. It was a perfect pairing with a goat cheese, sun-dried tomato and black olive topped pizza for #sundaynightdinner, or as the winery suggests "Serve chilled, or over ice with a splash of soda for a longer sip." Tasted July 2025.