Drink.  Learn.  Laugh.  Repeat.

Welcome Back!Sign in here:

Not Registered?Become one of our thirsty clan 350,222 strong:

Register Today!

Hester Creek Estate Winery Character Red 2023 Wine Review

Hester Creek Estate Winery Character Red 2023

Hester Creek Estate Winery Character Red 2023

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, BC V.Q.A., Canada

Community Score:91/100

Community Reviews: 3

  Add My Review


Price: $32.95

Drink: 2025-2028

Bottle size: 750 ml

Alcohol: 13.7%

Sweetness: Dry

Wine Type: Red Wine


Winery: Hester Creek Estate Winery

Agent: Hester Creek Estate Winery Ltd.

Natalie's Score:

Access Natalie's Tasting Notes, Ratings and Food Pairings

Purchase a subscriptionUnlock Natalie's wine review, notes scores and pairings for this wine by upgrading your membership to become a Paid Member. Start drinking better wine tonight!
 

This Hester Creek Estate Winery Character Red 2023 was reviewed on August 2, 2025 by Natalie MacLean

More Vintages: 2022 

  Add New Vintage

Pricing & Stock Information

StoreStock    
Rideau & King Edward29 Add
Eglinton & Laird18 Add
Avenue & Lawrence15 Add
Yonge & Summerhill12 Add
King Street & Dufferin11 Add
See More Edit
  • BCLDB
  • 158311
  • $22.99 
  • 1,543 bottles
StoreStock    
Kamloops Columbia Place31 Add
39th & Cambie28 Add
Park Royal28 Add
Penticton Plaza21 Add
Aldergrove20 Add
See More Edit

Reviews and Ratings

Craig Haynes - WSET3 FWS SWS IWS rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

The 2023 vintage of this blend is crafted with Petit Verdot, Malbec, Syrah and a clone of Merlot that hails from Italy. Before bottling, the juice spent 8 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels, the age of which is unknown to me.

The outcome? Satisfying. This is a wine that’s feels medium bodied, velvety, and pleasingly between juicy and dry. The aroma - taste appeal leans into ripeness without being jammy and evokes dark berries, sweet vanilla, dark chocolate, and dried cedar and mint. The finish is a low key, medium length deliciousness. Nicely done, Hester Creek Estate.

If appellation awareness is your thing, this creation is classified as BC VQA Okanagan Valley, which is British Columbia’s largest wine region. It spans over 250 kilometres from the Canada-U.S. border in the south to the town of Armstrong in the north.

Tasted June 2025
Deborah Podurgiel WSET IV Candidate - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

You can take Hester Creek Estate Winery's Character Red (2023) to any party or BBQ, and it will be the crowd pleaser red wine of the evening. Deep ruby in the glass, with aromas of menthol, candied cherry, violets, freshly baked bread and white pepper, this juicy red blend (Petit Verdot, Malbec, Syrah and Merlot) is vibrant and fresh on the palate. Dry and fruity with medium-plus acidity to tackle even the richest gourmet burger topped with your favourite decadent cheese, this easy-going red is showing violets, candied cherry, menthol, cracked black pepper flavours, savoury and fresh on the palate with medium velcroish tannins and a good lengthy finish. Enjoy now through 2028 but chill it up a bit to enhance its fruity flavours and pour with donairs, kebabs, turkey and bison burgers. tasted July 2025.

If you liked the Hester Creek Estate Winery Character Red 2023, you might also like these wines:

WANT TO LEARN HOW TO

PAIR WINE
& FOOD?

Join me in a free online video class to learn the secrets to perfect pairings.

Wine of the Week

As featured on  

CTV Wine of the Week!

Castello di Gabbiano Red Wine
Chianti Classico 2021,
Tuscany D.O.C.G. ...

Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean offers North America's most popular online wine and food pairing classes. She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards in Australia.

Natalie has published two books with Random House, both selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year.

Join 350,222 thirsty wine lovers who get access to all of her wine reviews by becoming a member of her site. Take a free online pairing class with her here.

FEEL LOST IN THE

LCBO?

Know the wines you want before you even get to the store with my wine reviews. Join now. It's free.

Red, White & Drunk All Over

  Best Books of the Year

Red, White & Drunk all over by Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean writes about wine with a sensuous obsession... and often laugh-out-loud funny... Terrific.

Rex Pickett, Sideways

Ms. MacLean is the disarming Everywoman. She loves wine, loves drinking ... ultimately, it's a winning formula.

Eric Asimov, The New York Times

GOT A SMARTPHONE?

Access my reviews on mobile with the bar code scanner.

GET NAT'S APP

Unquenchable: A Tipsy Search

  Best Books of the Year

Unquenchable by Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean is a new force in the wine writing world ‐ a feisty North American answer to Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. She can write beautifully about wine.

The Financial Times of London

There are very few people in the wine world who "get it" and Natalie is one of those who brings more fun to a buttoned-up and stodgy game.

Gary Vaynerchuck, Wine Library TV

Starting a Wine Cellar?

Expert advice for all budgets

Insider tips on starting a wine cellar
From wine racks to underground caves, insider tips on size and space, number of bottles, ideal conditions and reputable resources.   learn more  
Winner World's Best Drink Writer
WFour-Time Winner James Beard Foundation
Five-Time Winner Association of Food Journalists
Six-Time Winner Bert Greene Award
Best Wine Literature Book Gourmand World Cookbook Awards
Online Writer of the Year Louis Roederer International Wine Writing Award