2023 Stratus Icewine Red

Rusty, partridge-eye pink with ruby highlights, the ’23 Icewine exhibits a sexy nose of strawberry and cranberry that needs a minute to warm up to show the added complexity of red currants, dried autumn leaves and Turkish delight. On the palate it displays a rich, sweet, vigorously insistent attack of spiced redcurrant jelly that settles into strawberry cordial with a delicate hint of Chartreuse on the excellent finish. Sweet enough to vie with almost any dessert, the berry flavours of this really call for something like a strawberry Pavlova or berry cobbler but fun enough to wash down a pile of shortbreads glazed with pretty pastel Royal icing! Delicious.

The weather in 2023 played a crucial role in shaping the vintage in the Niagara Peninsula. A mild winter followed by a warm spring led to an early bud break, raising hopes for an abundant harvest. However, the summer brought some unexpected challenges, including sporadic heatwaves and intermittent, heavy rainfall. Winemakers had to closely monitor their vineyards to mitigate potential issues such as disease and uneven ripening. The careful management of the vines, coupled with the utilization of advanced viticultural practices, ensured the grapes reached optimal maturity.



Conditions for harvest were quite favourable, with a broad window of opportunity to bring in grapes, ideally suited to the many varieties in our vineyard. September was dry and reasonably warm, compared to the previous year and these conditions continued through the finish of harvest. Accordingly, fruit quality was excellent.



The harvest at Stratus begin with Chardonnay for sparkling wine on September 9 and continued through December 8 for Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes for Stratus Riesling and Red Icewine were picked on January 14, 2024.