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Tastes likeDeep tones of ripe black berries, dried currants, savoury herbs, pipe tobacco and soft leather. Drink withBig meats, grilled fare, Hungarian goulash, charcuterie. Perfect with a ribeye smothered in a wild mushroom reduction. Good forDark winter nights and/or warm spring evenings. And long, multi-course dinners.
Why we're drinking thisAh, March… in like a lion and what the hell is coming next? In climes like this, you need to muster your fortitude. We’ve got a wine for that, a unique find that’s only available to loyal kwäffers. This is a special Bordeaux-style wine from Stratus, one of Niagara’s most intensely focused wineries. Winemaker J–L Groux preaches the art of “assemblage” — yes, he’s French — which loosely refers to how he manipulates the various grapes as he creates the final blend of the component parts. Stratus is a premium winery: grapes are hand picked and hand sorted to gather only the best. Groux uses really expensive French oak barrels. You can taste the difference. What we love about this particular wine is its intense concentration and layers of complex flavours. This is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. At eight years old, it’s no youngster yet it retains a lively, bright expression — a youthful exuberance. If you’re curious about how a wine matures, this is a great example of one that’s in the middle of its journey. And it still has years to go.
Tasting NoteFirst, the nose. And oh what a nose! Cedar forest and rich wood tones give way to wildberries, plum, blackberry, currants and caramel. This is pretty, perfumed and alluring. Take a sip and you’re rewarded with a velvety smooth texture that carries a balance of fresh and maturing fruit. This is the magic: Held aloft by bright acid that’s in nice balance with the fruit, you get a tension between fresh berries and tertiary notes of dried fruit and nuts. Fresh fruit gives way to hints of raisin, prune, dried currants and soft leather. Nutty and smoky tones waft up from the background. This is a serious full-bodied red with medium ripe tannins and a long finish. Serve with robust meats and grilled fare or, as Zoltan recommends, a Hungarian goulash with plenty of smoked paprika.
Drink this: Now to 2020.Grapes: 39% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot Region: VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake Alcohol: 13.5%Production: 90 cases Winery: Stratus Vineyards
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Exclusive kwäf Special Offer. Limited availability.FREE Shipping* for 6 bottles or more, $12.95 plus HST otherwise.Estimated delivery by March 18.SHOP RISK FREEwith the kwäf 100% Happiness Guarantee
