Joe Will (seen in the photo above) and his wife Jane Langdon quietly go about crafting great wines at their gorgeous 1930’s-era, and now gloriously restored, cannery that’s been converted into a winery along a beautiful stretch of Lakeshore Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
It’s a peaceful spot and with a spectacular renovation that includes a gigantic winery, fully-equipped cooking school, restaurant (Terroir La Cachette) and wide-open tasting bar.
Joe makes the wine, Jane runs the cooking school and chef Alain Levesque runs the restaurant. It’s a perfect arrangement.
Strewn makes a broad selection of wines from two vineyards in the Four-Mile Creek appellation and a collection of purchased grapes from trusted growers. The portfolio is solid through the five tiers and affordably priced from top to bottom.
The tiers are as follows:
Collectors — superior quality and unique wines that are in limited supply.
Terroir — super-premium wines made from the highest quality grapes, and not necessarily made every year.
Premium — excellent wines that represent the greatest variety available to our customers.
TwoVines — introductory wines that have a broad appeal and are very affordable.
Dessert — sweet wines including Icewines.
The first grapes on the four-acre property were planted in 1994 (Will also owns another off-site 22-acre vineyard planted mainly to red grapes) and the winery opened in 1997.
Strewn produces about 25,000 cases of VQA wine at the site, grown from estate and purchased grapes from growers who have long-standing contracts to produce fruit that Will has a hand in deciding yields and ripeness.
Will makes a well-rounded portfolio of wine — from interesting and affordable wines right up to long-aging big reds made only in the best vintages, and, of course, a selection of icewines.
Here are three of his new wines from the just-released white portfolio.
Strewn Sauvingon Blanc 2010 ($15, winery only, 87 points) — Expressive nose of tropical fruit, grapefruit, flowers and herbs. Nice and fresh on the palate with citrus-tropical fruits. Good summer sipper.
Strewn Terroir Riesling-Gewurztraminer 2010 ($17, winery, 89 points) — A 60% Riesling blend, this is the first time this wine has been designated to the higher “Terroir” tier. It’s the best of both grape worlds with an exotic nose of clove spice, tropical fruits and zesty citrus on the nose. The wine on palate shows a balanced approach to both expressive grapes with citrus, spice and vibrancy. I look at it like this: Gewurztraminer with a spine.
Strewn Terroir Gewurztraminer 2010 ($18, winery, 88 points) — Loaded with grapefruit, rose petals, sweet clove spice and tropical fruits on the nose. It’s oily on the palate with wonderful spice, rich flavours and loaded down with ripe fruits. Medium acidity.
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Some other Niagara wines tasted and enjoyed recently:
Cattail Creek Riesling 2009 ($16, Vintages Aug. 20, winery, 88 points) — This Niagara-on-the-Lake winery has put together an interesting portfolio of Rieslings using the three main clones —Clone 49, 21B and 239 — planted on the property. Cattail bottled four special “clonal” Rieslings in 2009 plus a special “clonal” blend, sold as a package for $100. This Riesling is a house blend of all the property’s various lots. The nose is quite nice with quince, lemon-lime, pear and soft minerals. In the mouth, the flavours range from melon and pear to muted citrus and a touch of ginger spice.
Cattail Creek Pinot Noir 2009 ($20, winery only, 87 points) — A nose of black cherry, cranberry, strawberry and raspberry with touches of vanilla and toast. It’s a juicy, fruit-forward style with pronounced raspberry-cherry fruit and smooth, silky tannins.
Henry of Pelham Pinot Grigio 2010 ($15, LCBO, winery, 87 points) — Bright melon, pear and apple fruit that’s fresh and bright on the nose. It shows clean apple and cantaloupe fruit and lovely texture in the mouth.
Vineland Estates Unoaked Chardonnay 2010 ($13, LCBO, winery, 88 points) — It’s a crowd pleaser at a very good price point with fresh green apple and tropical fruits with a touch of mineral on the nose. It’s rich, yet maintains vibrancy on the palate, with creamy apple fruits in a clean approachable style.
Southbrook Vineyards Connect Red 2008 ($15, winery, 87 points) — A certified organic blend of the estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc with a touch of Merlot. Love the lean nose of blackberry-cassis fruit, tobacco, leather and herbs. It’s immediately approachable in the mouth with earthy, dark fruits and moderate spice. Great wine for the money.
Enjoy!
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