Stratus was established in 2000 and is in one of the best locations in Niagara - just outside Niagara-on-the-Lake, right on Niagara Stone Road. Winemaker J-L Groux, originally from 
the Loire Valley but a fixture on the Niagara scene for quite some time, is lively, expressive and loves to talk about wine. He took us through the tasting, explaining his assemblage approach to winemaking: in other words, he's all about blending. In rather a bold move for a market that is obsessed with grape varietals, Stratus has focused its efforts on wines simply called "White" and "Red". Taking the French tradition of varying the percentage of each grape used each vintage a step further, Groux will also introduce different grapes if they perform well in the vineyard.
In a climate as temperamental as Niagara's, not all grapes do well all years. In its 55 acre vineyard in the "Niagara Lakeshore" sub-appellation, Stratus plants a lot of different grapes. To make its "White", Stratus grows chardonnay, gewurztraminer, saugivnon blanc, semillion and reisling, and Rhone whites marsanne and viognier. This year, they have also released a single-varietal gewurztraminer.
For the "Red", there's cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, gamay, malbec, merlot, petit verdot and syrah, with tempranillo, tannat, sangiovese and mourvedre also in the ground. In 2005, a cabernet franc single varietal was released.
The tasting room and store - the most chic in Niagara - offers a menu of five wines and guests can choose a flight of any three for $10. The wines of Stratus are pricey, ranging from the high teens to the low forties, but the quality is there.
The Wines of Stratus
Stratus Gewurztraminer 2006. $32
Super bold nose showing great characteristic aromas - rich tropical fruit and floral notes. Very fresh and light on the palate, which is nicely dry even though the nose suggests otherwise. Some peach and lemon, fairly full bodied and a nice finish that follows through. A fine, fresh, dry gewurz. 89 points.
Stratus White 2005. $44
Lovely gold-tinted and bright colour. Very aromatic nose with a melange of peaches, tropical fruit, caramel and butterscotch. Acidity is crisp and the oak is evident, adding a richness to the medium bodied palate. Very oaky finish, but then some of the wines in the assemblage were barrel fermented and aged in wood for up to two years. Very nice for oak lovers. 88/89 points.
Stratus Red 2005. $44
Nice medium ruby colour and there's a good nose of rich red fruit, muted berries, some earthiness and cherry. Acidity and tannins are both high (JL says this one will age for at least 15 years), but it's surprisingly light and elegant on the mid-palate, where some red plum emerges. OK finish and this one should improve with time. 88/89 points
Stratus Cabernet Franc 2005. $36
Rich and somewhat extracted nose of dark red fruit with some bell pepper and herbaceous notes, including dill: pretty characteristic of the varietal. Quite smooth on the palate, though both acidity and tannin levels are high. The red fruit on the palate is lighter than expected and there's some cherry. OK finish. 88 points.
