Stratus 2003 Riesling Icewine
In 2005, I featured this vintage on the CBC wine phone-in show, calling it the “perfect” icewine, and also published a glowing review in my Pocket Guide to Ontario Wines, Wineries, Vineyards & Vines. The wine instantly sold out, with the exception of a few cases stashed in the wine library at Stratus for some future date. Who knew I would still be around when they opened the stash?
Needless to say, I was hyped at the chance to sample it again in January 2025, exactly 20 years later. If you’ve never tasted an “old” icewine, it’s quite a different experience from sipping a vibrant, newly-bottled one.
My original review stated:
Brilliant straw-gold with a bouquet of fresh pear nectar and Poire William eau-de-vie…Perfect luscious texture characterized by thick, syrupy viscosity and delicate, palate-cleansing acidity. Supple, lingering, and superb - 5 Stars.
Here are my observations on how well it has held up:
Bright Cognac colour with brilliant, burnished-gold reflections. Enticing bouquet of striking complexity and freshness. Warm French pastry, exotic fruits, plum butter, sautéed pineapple, baked pear, Earl Grey tea, the “brûlée” on a hot crème brûlée, the slightly-oxidative notes of an Amontillado Sherry as well as with the acidic spunk of a 10-year-old Pineau des Charentes. If anything, I'm saying this is a complex nose with many fascinating directions.
Taste-wise, it is exceptionally rich and smooth, with a classic palate-cleansing acidity that leaves no cloying finish in a wine of such sweetness - 5 Stars.
If there one flaw, it is organoleptically and psychologically addictive. Once tasted, I want another sip. Right away. And another, and another…
I love it with shortbread cookies, almond cookies, biscotti, and even baklava. It's a terrific contrast with chocolate brownies or anything loaded with nuts, like a handful of pistachios. You won’t believe how wonderful it can be with salty snacks, charcuterie and blue-veined cheeses.
This wine is fully mature now, but if stored on its side in a dark, consistently cool place, it may continue to evolve nicely for another decade or longer.
I shared a sip with friend, who happens to be a top Toronto chef. His comment? “Wow! This is as good as it gets.”
I can only concur.
- Konrad Ejbich, Wine, Food & Travel Journalist