By Wanda Haynes, Certified Sommelier
Ice Wine is a sweet wine that is produced from grapes frozen on the vine for at least 72 hours consecutively at 17 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
Many varietals of grapes can be used in the production of ice wine.
Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Riesling, and Vidal Blanc.
The term “ice wine” can only be applied if the grapes are naturally frozen and the sugar level measures at least 35 degrees on the “Brix scale”.
The term Brix (also called Balling) is a system for measuring sugar content in grapes, grape juices, and finished wines. If a bottle reads “Iced Wine” this means that the grapes were frozen post-harvest, and this is word play for a fake ice wine.
How is Ice Wine produced?
The grapes used for ice wines must have a hard freeze after they are ripened. The ripened grapes hang on the vines for several months until winter. During this time of waiting the grapes are susceptible to damage by birds and other animals.
The production of ice wine is extremely labor intense and can be dangerous for the workers.
Winemakers pick and press the grapes while they are still frozen. The highly concentrated juice is pressed from the frozen berries, leaving behind the icy water crystals, and producing an intensely flavored sweet wine.
Among producers, Canada is the largest and yeilds more ice wine than all other countries combined.
Germany, Austria, and the United States also produce ice wine.
What does Ice Wine taste like and pair with?
Vidal Blanc is the typical ice wine on the market and easily found during the holidays.
This incredible wine has notes and flavors of honey, ripened peach, mango, dried apricot, pineapple that adds a needed bright acidity to the ice wine.
Cheesecake is a perfect pairing for ice wine and dark chocolate isn’t overtly sweet which allows the ice wine to be the star.
Peach cobbler and pecan pie are lovely with Vidal Blanc ice wine.
Or serve ice wine as the dessert and remember that a little sweet wine goes a long way when serving it to guests.
Ice wine comes in slender half bottles, and often featured in a gift box.
They make impressive gifts as well as stunning dessert wines any time of year. ISI
