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Monday, July 5, 2010

June 8, 2010: Tasting Stratus Wines from Niagara

The Time and Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2010, 11 AM to 3 PM
The Event: Stratus Portfolio Tasting
The Venue: ARTCondos, Dovercourt and Sudbury
The Target Audience: wine media.
The Availability/Catalogue: everything is at the winery.
The Quote/Background: Most of the wines are from 2007, with some 2008
icewines and some library wines. Winemaker J-L Groulx led the tasting,
with additional commentary by Charles Baker. J-L discussed the 2007
vintage in general, as well as modern vintages at Stratus.
The Wines:
 
**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Stratus Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, $TBD, 2011 release
-Stratus Red 2007, $44  Vintages Winter 2010
-Stratus Chardonnay 2007, $38
-Stratus White 2007, $44 Vintages Winter 2010
-Stratus Riesling Icewine 2008, $40 200mL Vintages Fall 2010
 
***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Stratus Merlot 2007, $42
-Stratus Cabernet Franc 2007, $38 Vintages Fall 2010
-Stratus Petit Verdot 2007, $42  2011 release
-Stratus Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $38
-Stratus Semillon Icewine 2008, $40 200 mL
-Stratus Icewine White 2008, $40 200mL 50/50 mix of Riesling and Sem
 
*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Stratus Gamay 2007, $29
-Stratus Malbec 2007, $36
 
The Food: lunch was prepared by Jamie Kennedy Catering. The fish course
had a sampling of four Ontario white fleshed fish (perch, pickerel,
trout, whitefish): terrine, smoked, cured, and a cooked fish cake. Of
course, the Stratus White 2004 and 2006 were superb accompaniments
here, with enough body and age evolution to stand up to the smoke and
the green salad. The Cumbrae lamb course was a navarin of lamb plus a
large chop with black walnut pesto, excellently done and plated.
Stratus Red 2004 and 2006 came with it, with the 2004 being preferred
by me with its Bordeaux-like complexity and aging. Rhubarb came next,
with panna cotta and a biscuit – it went with the Stratus Red Icewine
2008 (a blend of both the cabs and syrah), as a sort of yin and yang of
sweet-tart flavours.
The Downside: it was a cavernous space, and the chairs at lunch were
too high and backless.
The Upside: the lunch was catered by Jamie Kennedy, who came and spoke
to the food.
The Contact Person: suzannejanke@stratuswines.com
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 93.
 
 
 

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