Hester Creek Estate Winery The Judge 2021 Wine Review

Hester Creek Estate Winery The Judge 2021

Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, BC V.Q.A., Canada

Community Score:92/100

Community Reviews: 3

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Price: $75.00

Drink: 2025-2030

Bottle size: 750 ml

Alcohol: 14%

Sweetness: Extra Dry

Wine Type: Red Wine

Winery: Hester Creek Estate Winery

Agent: Revelry Imports

Natalie's Score: 93/100

A commanding and elegant Bordeaux-style blend that opens with aromas of blackcurrant, plum, and cassis, intertwined with notes of cigar box, dark chocolate, and dried herbs. It’s full-bodied, dry, and richly textured, with firm, ripe tannins, vibrant acidity, and 14.5% alcohol delivering depth, balance, and a long, graceful finish. Serve it at room temperature to reveal its layered complexity and refined structure. Fascinating fact: The Judge is Hester Creek’s flagship red, crafted by winemaker Mark Hopley from meticulously selected estate fruit, showcasing the Golden Mile Bench’s sun-drenched slopes and gravelly soils. This wine has the power and elegance to cellar beautifully for 10–12 years, evolving into a masterpiece of harmony and depth. You can order this wine directly from the winery at www.hestercreek.com.

The Judge food pairings: braised short ribs in red wine sauce, where the wine’s structure and dark fruit echo the dish’s richness. Or enjoy it with aged cheddar and roasted walnuts, where its savoury spice and tannins meet the nutty, creamy textures perfectly.

Luscious Lamb Wine

This Hester Creek Estate Winery The Judge 2021 was reviewed on November 15, 2025 by Natalie MacLean

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Pricing & Stock Information

LCBO
133124
$75.00
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BCLDB
133124
$49.99
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AGLC
133124

Reviews and Ratings

Deborah Podurgiel WSET IV Candidate - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 94/100 with the following review:

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.

Jennifer Havers - WSET Level 3 rated this wine as 91/100 with the following review:

Always a stunning signature wine from Hester Creek. This vintage is made from 47% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon . Aromas of black plum and blackberry, along with hints of mocha, dried herbs, cigar box and campfire smoke. Full bodied, smooth and velvety with soft, subtle tannins on the palate, and medium+ acidity. Lots of rich, deep berry flavours balanced with hints of mocha and smoke along with a touch of a dried herbal note. Enjoy with a grilled steak and peppercorn sauce

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Hester Creek Estate Winery The Judge 2021 Wine Review

Natalie's Score: 93/100

Pricing & Stock Information