Strewn winery has a long history of delivering rich Chards and bold red wines

By Rick VanSickle

Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Strewn winery is one of those estates that has always delivered a portfolio of wines that’s easy to like.

There’s simply something for everyone, a reliable collection of VQA wines from every day drinking that won’t break the bank to truly sublime wines at the top end, especially with its deep portfolio of big, bold red blends.

I’ve been tasting the wines of Strewn Estate Winery, owned by Joe Will (above)  along with Newman Smith, since moving here in 2006. After a bit of an absence, I was able to return and see how the winery is faring under current winemaker Taylor Hulley, who joined the winery three years ago. The all-encompassing winery features a little bit of everything from the Terroir restaurant, tasting rooms (more than one) and retail store that was restored from its former use as a 1930s cannery 1997 by winemaker Will and his wife Jane Langdon. Langdon takes care of the food side of the business, running the restaurant and her popular cooking school. Since COVID, a large outdoor patio has been installed to allow even more space for wine lovers to gather and taste wines.

In 1997, a vineyard was planted, and the original buildings were extensively rebuilt to create the visitor centre at Strewn and the classrooms for the cooking school.

Will has established clearly defined labels including the easy-going Cottage Block wines, Premium, Terroir and Distinctive Small Block series of wines as well as interesting one-offs, sparkling and icewines.

The grapes for the 20,000 to 25,000 case production at Strewn comes from two of the winery’s own vineyards and over 15 trusted local growers, the majority of whom are all located in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The 10-acre estate property has roots in the community that go back nearly 70 years when it was the home to the Niagara Canning Company. 

Will says that 75% of the production at Strewn is either sold through the LCBO (currently four wines listed there), or grocery and convenience stores.

Winemaker Hulley, above, has an interesting back story. After spending much of his twenties travelling out west and in Costa Rica, he decided it was time to get a real job. By chance, he got an offer to do some odd jobs at the now closed Coyote’s Run Estate Winery. Those odd jobs turned into an offer to work with veteran winemaker David Sheppard in 2010 and eventually, after taking a course at Niagara College, he became the assistant winemaker and later the head winemaker when Sheppard departed.

After many stops along the way, Hulley took the assistant winemaker job at Strewn and is now head winemaker.

Many reading this might also know Hulley as one-half of the popular Niagara duo Laurel & Hulley, who together as partners (and a couple) perform their music throughout the region when Hulley isn’t making wine.

I sat down with Hulley and Will to taste a range of current and upcoming wines from the Strewn portfolio. Here’s what I liked:

The white wines

Strewn Pinot Grigio 2023 ($23, 88 points) — The fruit was sourced from a vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake. A little skin contact was employed, which gives it a light amber colour in the glass. It has a juicy nose of white peach, fresh apples, citrus and nectarine. It’s ripe and fruit forward with lovely texture to go with orchard fruits, citrus zest and a zippy, lifted finish.

Strewn Premium Sauvignon Blanc 2024 ($24, coming soon, 91 points) — This was unlabelled and not for sale quite yet, but it’s one to watch for. It has an aromatic nose of grapefruit, kiwi, pear, florals notes and herbs. It has a plush texture with generous notes of kiwi, passionfruit, herbs, citrus and subtle reduction on a bright and lively finish.

The Chardonnays

Strewn Distinctive Small Lot Chardonnay Musqué 2023 ($25, 89 points) — “We’re just trying to show a different expression of Chardonnay,” says Hulley of this unoaked Chardonnay Musque. It has an attractive and perfumed now of summer peach, lemon biscuit, apricots and some tropical fruit notes. It’s bright and fresh on the palate with notes of peach cobbler, pear/quince, lemon and apricot with a brisk, vibrant finish. Good summer quencher!

Strewn Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2023 ($26, 88 points) — This Chardonnay is aged in two barrels of French oak, two barrels of American oak and one barrel of Canadian oak. It has a nose of ripe pear, golden apple, toasted vanilla bean, nutmeg and cloves. It’s bold and brash on a creamy palate with weight and a soft texture to go with ripe orchard fruits, a touch of lemon zest and the full range of baking spices with a long, luxurious finish. Big Cali-style Chardonnay here.

Strewn Terroir Canadian Oak Chardonnay 2022 ($35, 90 points) — Strewn is all in on Canadian oak and was one of the first Niagara wineries to use it in their oak regime as far back as 20 years ago. There are currently 135 Canadian oak barrels in the winery and 20 barrels are purchased each year. This bottling sees 12 months in Canadian oak in a combination of new and old barrels with monthly lees stirring. It’s a bit more subtle than the BF version above and shows ripe pears, yellow apples, lemon curd, melon and buttery/spicy accents. It’s mouth-filling and generous on the creamy palate with ripe orchard fruits, toasty vanilla, baking spices and elevated finesse on the long finish.

Strewn Barrel Aged Chardonnay 2023 ($16, 88 points) — This BA Chardonnay is Strewn’s biggest seller at the LCBO. The winemaking team works with a combination of new, one- and two-year-old (or older) French, American and Canadian oak barrels. A portion of the wine is fermented then aged in barrels while a portion is fermented in stainless steel then transferred to barrel for aging. It shows a bit more elegance than the two Chardonnays above with a nose of pear, crisp apple, toasted almonds, nutmeg, nectarine, citrus zest and subtle spices. It shows a touch of flint on the palate with ripe orchards fruits, tangy citrus notes and a balanced approach to the oak spices with mouth-watering acidity and lifted finish. Good value Chardonnay here.

The big flagship reds

Strewn Distinctive Small Lot French Oak Meritage 2020 ($45, 92 points) — This Meritage is a blend of 73% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc that spends 23 months in French oak and a further year in bottle before release. It has a lovely nose of black currants, dark cherries, cassis preserves, vanilla bean and integrated oak spices. It’s mouth-filling and structured on the palate with grippy tannins and ripe fruits of dark cherries, anise, black currants, raspberry jam, earthy/savoury notes, elegant oak spices and a long, finessed finish. Good cellaring potential here through 2036.

Strewn Terroir Strewn Three 2020 ($99, 94 points) — When Will went looking for inspiration for his fledgling winery in the very beginning, he went to Napa Valley. He was smitten with the wines from Cain Vineyard and Winery in the Spring Mountain AVA in the Napa Valley. Will was taken aback with the iconic Cain Five, a red blend consisting of all five of the Bordeaux grapes — Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Will made the first Strewn Three in 1995 with Cain Five as his inspiration and now only makes it in the very best vintages, such as 2020. The current Strewn Three is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc with aging in new and old French and American oak barrels for 23 months. The wine is sourced from nearly 100% estate grapes from the best barrels. It’s a lovely flagship wine and, not unlike the more restrained Cain Five from Napa Valley, it shows some elegance on the nose with a harmonious range of black currants, blackberries, rich Morello cherries, floral notes, toasted vanilla bean, saddle leather, savoury/earthy notes and integrated spices. It’s complex and layered on the palate with a melange of ripe black currant, figs, cassis, kirsch, and black raspberries with a structured, yet approachable texture with polished tannins that all lead to a spicy, long and lifted finish that will continue to get better for another 20 years. A very fine Niagara red with a nod to a great producer in Napa Valley. Note: Watch for a Strewn Five coming from the 2024 vintage with all five Bordeaux red grapes in the blend.

Strewn Terroir Strewn Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($96, 93 points) — The estate 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is aged in a combination of one-third new and two-thirds older French, American and Canadian oak barrels for 18 months. Another beautiful red wine from the perfect 2020 vintage. The nose is pure and concentrated with notes of black currant, purple plums, kirsch, sweet vanilla, eucalyptus, mocha, blackberries and toasty oak spices. It’s mouth-filling and highly structured on the palate with grippy tannins that will take time to soften. It’s loaded with ripe dark berries, maraschino cherries, saddle leathery, minty herbs, Espresso bean, a touch of earth and layers of oak spice notes on a long, long, long and echoing finish with mouth-watering acidity. Can cellar through 2036. A beauty.