Page 34 - Dreamscapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2025

FUN FACT
Try a locally inspired meal at
Terrafina. Thanks to an on-site
garden, chef Adair Scott has
easy access to fresh Italian
staples like kale, parsley and
basil. For other produce, Scott
taps into local farmers to supply
heirloom tomatoes, red peppers,
root vegetables and more.
Vine, Wine
and Dine,
Italian-Style
Hester Creek Estate Winery
and Terrafina bring Tuscany
to the Table
BY LISA KADANE
THE WINE GLASS IN YOUR HAND HOLDS A PEPPERY, fruit-for-
ward red, while a plate of handmade fettuccine topped with braised short ribs and
a rich heirloom tomato sauce tempts your taste buds. Almost as good as the feast
in front of you is the view from Terrafina’s vine-covered patio—green vineyards
stretch to the valley floor, with rounded umber hills unfurling in the distance.
It’s another beautiful summer day at Hester Creek Estate Winery in B.C.’s
Okanagan Valley—perfect for touring and tasting. Set on 47 hectares near Oliver,
this family-owned winery enchants with a Tuscan ambiance reflected in its
landscape, architecture, and food and wine.
“It’s like a little Tuscan home,” says Terrafina chef Adair Scott. “We’re super
approachable. We’re super nice. We have a thoughtful wine portfolio. And the
Okanagan’s local seasonal ingredients are amazing for chefs.”
Summer is when the valley’s orchards burst with fruit, farmers harvest
every vegetable imaginable, and vines grow heavy with grapes. Visitors to
Hester Creek Estate Winery typically start at the Wine Shop, where compli-
mentary tastings introduce them to the winery’s award-winning portfolio.
Winemaker Mark Hopley harnesses the property’s exceptional terroir to culti-
vate a range of grape varietals, from patio pleasers like Pinot Gris to bold reds
like Cabernet Sauvignon.
Grapes are grown on the estate’s 36 hectares of planted vineyards, or sourced
from other South Okanagan growers, then hand-harvested, sorted and whole-berry
pressed. Hopley uses Ganimede tanks for red wine fermentation, allowing grape
skin and seed mixing to create softer, fruit-forward wines. His goal is to create
PHOTOS: HESTER CREEK ESTATE WINERY
34
DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2025