Stratus redux

After finding our romance wine corked this past February, I contacted Stratus to find out how to go about getting a replacement bottle. They were sold out, they told me, but would be happy to offer me a bottle from their library and a complimentary tour of the winery for myself and a guest when I came back to pick up the replacement. Greg and I planned a trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake to see a play at the Shaw festival this past weekend and stopped at the winery beforehand.

We arrived at 11am and were started with a glass of Riesling. We were given a very comprehensive tour of Stratus, with details about everything from the winery’s health and safety procedures to their annual natural gas bill (we also learned that the French oak barrels used for aging wine cost $1,000 apiece, hold about 300 bottles worth of wine and are replaced every four years). We ended in the private tasting room and sampled a 2006 Stratus White, 2006 Stratus Red and a red Ice Wine. The white and the red were both assemblages. The white was a mix of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Semillon and Viognier. The red was mix of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Gamay and Syrah. The white was everything I love in a white –fruity and creamy all at the same time, but more complex than just that. The red was good, but could sit another few years.

I’m not that patient, though, and the red Ice Wine was delicious enough for drinking straightaway. So, by noon I was making the sort of decision I often make when feeling a little merry: I decided to buy several $40 bottles of red Ice Wine.

I plan to save this second bottle of Riesling for another celebration and although the red Ice Wine was bought to offer as gifts for friends, I would like to be sure to have some more myself, so I’m likely to find a celebration to anchor a bottle of that drink to, as well.