Bottle of Red, Bottle of White

摘要

The picturesque landscape of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., has no shortage of successful wineries. So if you're considering opening one in the area, you might wonder how to make a new winery stand out in the crowd. That wasn't a problem for Stratus Vineyards, which opened its doors to the public just two short years ago. Stratus isn't your everyday winery. And its products aren't your everyday wines. Stratus focuses on the assemblage method of winemaking, which means they combine several grape varietals in one bottle of wine - a technique common in "Old-World Europe," says Charles Baker, Stratus' director of Marketing and Sales. Red varietals used may include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Merlot or Syrah; while white varietals may include Chardonnay, Gewuerztraminer, Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. The combinations are carefully chosen from each vintage's best mix of grapes, based on the idea that this method creates a much more complex flavour and aroma than wine made from a single varietal. The combinations and ratios change year to year, at the discretion of Stratus' winemaster J-L Groux. "We choose the combinations depending on the grape variety and stage of maturity," explains Groux.