Strewn ‘Dry Late Harvest’ Cabernet Franc 2011
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $38.20 14.1% alcohol
Winemaker extraordinaire, Marc Bradshaw, put his stamp on this Amarone-styled red and it’ll knock your socks off. Rich, complex aromas abound—pipe tobacco, dried berry fruit, spice cake and rosewood. It wows the palate with a gusher of lush, ripe, dark cherry and spice-infused, juicy black plum mingling with bittersweet chocolate and sour cherry. It’s mid-full weight with generous texture and a drying, lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. Good to go now and on to 2018, only improving with age—it was tough to spit. (Vic Harradine)


Strewn ‘Winemaker’s Art’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $18.15 13.9% alcohol
This outstanding-value red steps up with lifted aromas of black currant, red cherry, sweet spice, cedar and underbrush. Dry, medium-full bodied, this is a substantial wine that marries lively acidity and perceptible tannin to juicy. tangy, spiced red and black berries. Dried herbs, subtle notes of oak and dark chocolate garnish a clean, crisp, flavourful finish. Well paired now with rare meats, this wine will reward a further 2-3 years’ aging. (Susan Desjardins)


Strewn ‘Canadian Oak’ Meritage 2011
VQA Niagara Peninsula $20.15 13.3% alcohol
Weaving together aromas of sweet fruit, roasted herbs, vanilla, tobacco leaf and spicy, red rose, this is an involved and intricate 6-barrel blend of the Cabernets and Merlot. Dry, mid-weight, it delivers great balance, a lovely silky texture, supple tannin and the briary tang of red and black berries. Herbal notes, pepper and toasty warmth linger on the lasting finish. Savour alongside roast duck with cherries or grilled venison tenderloin. (Susan Desjardins)