2012 Stratus Red 9L

A deeply complex wine that has an intense cassis core, with dark and dusty plums and a hint of cocoa powder. There is a defined and integrated oak character that complements the vintage’s rich fruit profile. The palate exhibits fine, silky, chocolatey tannins that bode well for a long and elegant evolution.

The winter of 2012 was warmer and drier than in previous years with vine development starting very early in the season. An extremely warm March was followed by significantly cooler temperatures and frost in April. While devastating for many of our neighbouring tender fruit growers, our vineyard buds had not yet “woken” to spring when the frosts hit and the crop thankfully did not suffer. Bud break did occur about 16 days earlier than usual which extended the length of the growing season. Summer temperatures

continued to be above average with July being much drier than normal. Overall, the hot, dry climate resulted in the best growing season for Stratus to date and provided flawless fruit for an impressive lineup of wines.