2020 Stratus Red

Pitchy blend, led by the frankness of Cabernet Franc and no shortage of barrel. Black raspberry the dominant fruit imagined and a chalky character that speaks to structure though this feels more of a mid-term ager. Nice grainy band chalky texture talks of delicate and promising tannins. Good length...

2020 was a remarkable year for weather and wine in Ontario. Warmer than average winter months led to a cool dry April and May. The approach of summer brought a return of the hot weather with low precipitation and humidity. Similar conditions continued through August with only short, isolated, but intense thunderstorms. While temperatures began to naturally cool, sunshine remained throughout the autumn. The dry, sunny conditions were ideal for the full and complete maturation of grapes and contributed to a smooth harvest. Across the region, unseasonably warm weather delayed the icewine harvest resulting in a loss of tonnage. These temperature conditions postponed picking into the last week of January. While the overall grape crop was low, quality across all varieties was exceptional