Stratus Vineyards Niagara-on-the-Lake

Stratus Vineyards, established in 2000, is a sustainable, innovative winery located in the heart of Niagara wine country in the historic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Stratus is dedicated to growing and producing limited quantities of premium wine in the VQA Niagara Lakeshore appellation. The Stratus vineyard is a sixty two acre estate moderated by the effects of two bodies of water: the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. The vineyards benefit from a unique micro-climate that ranks amongst the warmest in Niagara, comparable to Northern Rhone and warmer than Bordeaux. The vineyard is clay-loam over lacustrine silty clay on bedrock of Dolomitic limestone, and is planted to 18 varieties in forty three separate blocks. Substantial portions of this vineyard are over a quarter-century old. The canopy and fruit of the vines receive uncompromising attention. A modified Scott Henry trellis sytem, the use of organic viticultural techniques and judicious crop thinning produce very low crop yields and subsequently, wonderful fruit. Winemaking at Stratus is led by Jean-Laurent (J-L) Groux. A native of the Loire Valley, J-L has been honoured as "Ontario Winemaker of the Year" and is renowned for his passion for creative, distinctive wines based on the principle of assemblage. Assemblage is the art of combining several grape varieties to produce a wine that is the most complex expression of the vineyard's terroir. The synergy created with assemblage winemaking reflects the age-old theory that the product is greater than the sum of its parts. The two signature wines are Stratus Red and Stratus White. Critically acclaimed, these wines have quickly become benchmarks within the Canadian wine industry. The winery, designed by architect Les Andrew, is a marvel of efficiency, sustainability and flexibility. It is a building designed to produce limited quantities of wine based on a true gravity flow system, thereby eliminating the pumping of any wine. The winery is the first LEED certified building in Canada and the first winery in the world to be LEEDS certified.

Stratus White 2007 The Stratus vineyard is planted to Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier and Marsanne. Vintage conditions determine to what degree each variety is used to best express the terroir of the estate. Refined aromatic complexity is the hallmark of this unique Canadian wine.

Stratus Red 2007 "The first red to reach a full 5 star rating during the writing of this edition. Deep and brilliant garnet hue to the rim; full, rich nose with top notes of banana and cherry. Lush but not opulent texture-clean, not lean- somewhere between satin and velvet. Fabulous depth and richness of ripe fruit flavours, with black cherry and plum dominating early, and balancing hints of apple skin in the end palate. Tremendously complex and already delicious, this one's worth holding back for several years. Not cheap but exceptionally good value. Drink now to 2025." 5/5 Konrad Ejbich, A Pocket Guide to Ontario Wines, Wineries, Vineyards, & Vines

Stratus Riesling Icewine 2007 Eiswine production may have developed by the Germans, but Canada has made "icewine" its own. Thick skinned varieties left to ripen until late into the winter develop stratospheric levels of sugar and acidity, and when harvested and pressed as frozen berries, produce an elixir of syrupy, vibrant juice. This juice is very carefully and slowly fermented using specialized yeast to create a wine unlike any others. It is a perfect partner for mild cheeses, seared foie gras or tarte tatin, or simply pour a cold glass of this potion and curl up by a fire on a cold Canadian winter's night.

Stratus Icewine "Red" 2007 Canadian winemakers are the only ones to produce icewines from red varietals, mostly Cabernet Franc. This very unique wine has lovely aromas of red fruit, citrus, mild baking spices and a hint of botrytis, the "noble rot" of Sauternes. Red icewine lends itself to pairing with chocolate, a difficult match for most other wines. The sugar levels and the structured acidity will allow this wine to live on for years and continue to develop. This wine makes a perfect gift as a piece of true "Canadiana".

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All wines are available by the unmixed case to Licensees and Private Consumers, subject to availability.

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