2023 Stratus “Field Blend” Ancestral Method Sparkling 🔥 93pts

Ontario, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake
41% Riesling, 30% Chardonnay, 18% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Semillon| Dry |12.0% ABV
93pts Carl’s Wine Club

As geeky as it gets! I can smell this wine all night long… and there is so much intricacy and “unknown” in this Ancestral Sparkling that my brain is going at 100 miles per hour. Don’t be fooled by the hazy and cloudy look of this wine: this is normal for Ancestral Method wines which contain yeast sediment in the bottle (called the lees), responsible for gracefully adding texture and flavours. The bright Riesling acidity is obvious and lifts the entire profile of this wine, while the lees aging, and the unfiltered process, adds so much in terms of texture and complexity. The mousse is gentle and consistent. The nose opens up with aromas of orange zest, dried herbs, peach and baked croissant. The palate is creamy and delivers flavours of lemon curd, orange/ginger tea, white peach, a line of green apple and a stunning burst of flinty minerality on the finish. A rare small batch wine that perfectly describes the innovative side of the Stratus winemaking team, which often leans back on tradition. (Carl Boucher, October 23, 2024). Only 350 cases made.

Food pairing: prosciutto and melon, Greek salad
Drink now until 2026
Winery price: $35.00 including tax & deposit