I’m walking through the winery at Strewn with Aussie winemaker Marc Bradshaw, recently hired as associate winemaker, and we’re tasting this, that and the other thing from various tanks and barrels.
He moves from tank to barrel with the unbridled enthusiasm Bradshaw as always shown, excited at what’s to come and what will be from the latest vintage.
Bradshaw is a ray of light on the Niagara winemaking scene. It’s all about a positive outlook and the endless possibilities that each vintage brings.
In the centre of the winery, shrouded in cardboard boxes, much like a fort one would make when they were kids, is a curious formation of tanks with the sweet smell of fermenting grape juice heavy on the nose.
OK, so what’s that, I ask Dr. Bradshaw.
“Ahhh, that,” he says, a mischievous smile stretching across his face. It’s typical Bradshaw, former winemaker at Pillitteri. There’s always some sort of mad experiment going on.
We talk a bit about the 2011 harvest, some of the problems in the vineyard across the region, with some grape breakdown, disease (botrytis, most notably), caused by the wet fall.
Botrytis, of course, can be a good thing, especially with riesling, but when it hits the red varietals, it’s not a lot of fun. Only small pockets of grapes were hit around Niagara and when that occurs, you generally don’t pick the affected grapes.
Bradshaw and Strewn owner-partner Joe Will decided to harvest a small lot of both the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc botrytised fruit and vinify them separately for a secret (OK, not so secret) experiment. The two lots sit side by side, covered in cardboard, and taste delicious in their current state; sweet, thick, rich with all the ripe varietal characters of the grapes.
Bradshaw does not know what will become of the two lots — blended together? Separately? Even Port style? — it’s yet to be determined.
Bradshaw seems to settling in nicely at Strewn. It’s a good mix of winemakers with Will and Bradshaw as they start working together on strengthening the well-defined tiers at the winery.
Will is committed to making terroir-driven wines from his gorgeous setting along Lakeshore Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake. He has established clearly defined labels including the Collectors series (superior quality and unique wines that are in limited supply), the Terroir series (super-premium wines made from the highest quality grapes, and not necessarily made every year) Premium series (good wines that represent the greatest variety) TwoVines series (introductory wines that have a broad appeal and are very affordable) and, of course, the Dessert series (sweet wines including Icewines).
Strewn also features a wine country restaurant,Terroir La Cachette, and a hands-on cooking school, run by Will’s wife Jane Langdon.
The operation is located in a gorgeous 1930’s-era, and now gloriously restored, cannery that’s been converted into a winery.
Will makes the wine, with help now from Bradshaw, Langdon runs the cooking school and chef Alain Levesque runs the restaurant. It’s a perfect arrangement.
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.
Here are some reviews from a recent tasting with Will and Bradshaw in one of the nicest tasting rooms in Niagara.
Strewn Terroir Riesling 2009 ($17, winery, 88 points) — All Niagara-on-the-Lake fruit with a distinct nose of minerality, tropical fruit, mango, apple and a touch of citrus. Wonderful racy acidity on the palate with quince-tropical flavours, wet-stone and fresh and crisp through the finish.
Strewn Terroir Riesling-Gewurztraminer 2010 ($17, winery, 89 points) — A Riesling (60%) and Gewurztraminer 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 Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay 2008 ($20, winery, 88 points) — Beautiful spicy nutmeg and vanilla on the nose to go with pear and apple fruit. It shows texture and elegance on the palate with spiced tropical fruits, poached pear and balancing acidity. Can cellar this as it integrates further.
Strewn Terroir Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay 2010 ($25, not released until March, 89 points) — Gorgeous Chard from a ripe vintage with already integrated fruit, toasty oak notes, cloves and nutmeg spices from 100% French barrels. Big, ripe fruit on the palate, well balanced with acid and spice. A big, old-fashioned barrel-aged Chardonnay with elegance and style.
Strewn Cabernet Franc 2008 ($15, winery, 86 points) — Notes of cherry, raspberry, tobacco leaf and a touch of chocolate on the nose. It’s made in a lean style, a result of the vintage, but enough juicy fruit and spice to make it an enjoyable red at a good price. Built for food pairing.
Strewn Terroir Merlot 2007 ($27, winery, 90 points) — A fabulous mature red with a nose of toasted oak, vanilla, nutmeg, black cherry, plums and roasted meats. It’s so lovely on the palate with red fruit flavours, structure, integration, spice and smooth all the way through the finish. An example of how well Merlot does in Niagara in a warm vintage. Drinking great right now but can still cellar for a few years.
Strewn Terroir Strewn Three 2007 ($30, winery, 91 points) — A blend of Merlot (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and the rest Cabernet Franc. Strewn only makes this top wine in the best vintages (there wasn’t any made in 2008 or 2009). The nose reveals blackberry, plum, earth, tobacco, vanilla and spice. It’s big, juicy, rich and layered with just the right amount of spicy goodness on the palate. Showing really nice at the moment with the potential to age further.
Strewn Select Late Harvest Vidal 2010 ($16 for 375 ml, winery, 89 points) — Made from the second pressing of icewine grapes at 26 plus brix. A nose of pineapples, citrus, apricots and sweet apple notes. Not overly sweet in the mouth with tropical fruit flavours, a touch of roasted almonds and mango fruit. Simply delicious.
Strewn Vidal Icewine 2008 ($45 for 375 ml, winery, 92 points) — A wow nose of apricot-peach compote, poached pears, citrus and honey. Such depth of flavours in the mouth with apricot, peach and citrus peel dominating. A nice core of acidity cuts through the supersweet fruits offering lovely balance in the mouth you don’t often get with icewines. Very nice indeed.
Enjoy!
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