Icewine Page
Icewine is a rare gift from a magical Canadian winter. Picked at
the coldest moment of a winter's night, each frozen grape
creates just one drop of Icewine. One smooth rich, luxurious
drop. Peller Estates
Today, making Icewine is a Canadian game, we may not have invented it,
but we have perfected it. Canada's Niagara region has the long, warm
summers and cold winters that create the ideal conditions for Icewine**.
The Icewine harvest, done entirely by hand, commences once the
temperature drops below 10 to -13 degrees Celcius and the grapes have
naturally frozen on the vines. As the frozen grapes are pressed, the
natural water portion of the juice remains within the grape skins in the
form of ice crystals. A tiny but precious ration of highly concentrated
juice is expressed. The Okanagan Valley in British Columbia also
produces outstanding icewines as do Nova Scotia and Quebec.
The Making of Icewine
The discovery of icewine was accidental, due to a cool summer and
exceptionally cold winter wine producers in Franconia , Germany by
virtue of necessity, created icewine by pressing juice from frozen
grapes in 1794. They were amazed by the high sugar concentration. It was
not until the mid 1800's however that icewine was intentionally made.
This occurred in the Rheingau region.
Grapes are left on the vine well into the winter months, the resulting
freezing and thawing of the grapes dehydrates the fruit, and
concentrates the sugars, acids, and extracts in the fruit. Thereby
intensifying the flavours and adding complexity to the wine this juice
is then fermented very slowly for several months, stopping naturally.
Genuine icewine must be naturally produced, no artificial freezing is
permitted.
The icewine harvest done entirely by hand commences once the temperature
drops below 10 to 13 degrees Celcius and the grapes have frozen
naturally on the vines. As the frozen grapes are pressed, the natural
water portion of the juice remains within the grape skins in the form of
ice crystals. A tiny but precious ration of highly concentrated juice is
expressed.
The juice from Icewine grapes is about one-fifth the amount you would
normally get if you pressed unfrozen grapes. To put it another way, a
vine will normally produce sufficient grapes to make a bottle of wine;
but frozen grapes would produce only one glass of icewine. This explains
the difference in price between the two
The finished icewine is intensely sweet and flavourful in the initial
mouth sensation. The balance is achieved by the acidity, which gives a
clean, dry finish. The nose of icewine recalls lychee nuts. The wine
tastes of tropical fruits, with shadings of peach nectar and mango. The
high sugar levels lead to a slower than normal fermentation.
The signature of a great icewine is the balancing tension between the
sweetness and the acidity, with seductive tropical fruit flavours
followed by a crisp, bracing finish which, when the wine is swallowed,
is vividly refreshing. This brilliantly focused acidity distinguishes
the icewine from Sauternes and accounts for the freshness.* the finished
icewine creates a unique sensation on the palate.
Renowned for fruit flavours ranging from mango to peach to lychees,
Icewine is truly a natural wonder and extreme winemaking at its best,
yielding the impressions of tropical tastes wrought from the frigid
extremes of the icy Canadian winterscape.***
Typical grapes used for icewine production are: Riesling Seyval Blanc,
Vidal Blanc and, interestingly, the red grape Cabernet Franc . Cabernet
Franc icewine is a light pink colour, similar to a Rosé wine.
A Great Canadian Tradition
Making icewine is a Canadian game, we may not have invented it, but we
have perfected it. Canada 's Niagara region has the long warm summers
and cold winters that create the ideal conditions for icewine**.
In 1973 Walter Hainle made the first (small scale) icewine in Canada .
In 1978 Hainle Vineyards produced the first commercially available
Canadian icewine.
Today Canada is the largest producer of this rare, rich and sweet
ambrosia, with the lion's share coming from Ontario 's Niagara Peninsula
. The Okanagan Valley in British Columbia also produces outstanding
icewine as do Nova Scotia and Quebec .
The volume of icewine produced in Ontario has risen phenomenally
commensurate with demand. Sales in vintages alone rose from 25,000
bottles in 1992-93 to an estimated 120,000 bottles in 1996-97. Sales
continue to grow at a rate of over 50% per annum. The burgeoning demand
is also evident in the export market - particularly in Asia where
Ontario icewine have fetched over three times the domestic price in
Japan.* A 375ml bottle may sell for as much as $300.00 In Canada the
average price for a 375ml bottle of icewine is around $45.00.
For over 20 years Europeans banned Canadian icewine from their markets,
stating high sugar content as their reason. The ban was lifted in May
2001.
Hugh Johnson author of World Atlas of Wines Niagara has moved icewine
from the fringe benefit for vintners, to an international luxury item as
dependable as it is luxurious.
Why is it more expensive than regular wine?
First, grape growers take a huge risk by leaving the fruit on the vine
long after the usual harvest time. Birds , animals and weather can all
destroy the grapes as they sit waiting for the perfect conditions
necessary to harvest grapes for icewine. Second because the grapes must
be processed so carefully and quickly once the conditions are met. Third
the juice maybe sweeter but there is less juice in each grape compared
to a fall harvest.
How long can I keep an unopened bottle of icewine?
With such a brief history, determining the ability of icewines to
improve with time is open to conjecture. Sweet wines must have good
acidity to gain complexity so good balance is essential for long term
storage. Icewines are so attractive when young that there are few
examples to assess (and those are very expensive). The best method for
choosing an appropriate Icewine to cellar is to base your choice on the
grape variety used to make the wine. Icewines made with the Chardonnay,
Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes should be drunk young. Gewürztraminer
and Ehrenfelser can frequently be low in acid and while they will keep
for 3-5 years, they are not good candidates for the cellar. Vidal is
good for 5-7 years although Inniskillin Ontario has Vidal Icewines from
the 1980's that are reportedly superb.
For long term aging, Riesling offers the best chance. The great,
long-lived dessert wines of Germany are Rieslings and the grape's
ability to retain acidity, even in the hottest years, make Riesling
Icewines the best bet for long term cellaring. As with any other wine,
good cellar conditions (constant, cool temperature) are crucial to allow
the wine to develop its full potential.
How long will an open bottle of icewine last?
Due to the high sugar content, an open bottle of Icewine will last 3-5
days after opening if re-corked and stored in the fridge. Why this would
happen is beyond me in our house once a bottle is opened it is
considered gone from the cellar.
Are there any other uses for icewine?
Icewines can be very versatile. They have been blended with brandy to
make liqueur, used to create exquisite jellies and have been used as
ingredients (albeit expensive ones) in several cocktails. There are also
numerous recipes that incorporate Icewine.
How is icewine best served?
Icewine shows best when it is chilled but not cold. The ideal
temperature is 10-12°C. Renowned as "dessert in a glass" it is ideal on
its own or with a fresh fruit plate. Often, it is recommended that
icewine be served in small liqueur glasses but research has shown that
stemware with a fairly large bowl (9 oz.) is better as it amplifies the
nose and intensifies the flavours. Failing that, a normal wine glass is
still better than a glass that is too small
Where can I buy Canada 's icewine
Unfortunately we are unable to tell you which wine stores in your home
town carry Canadian icewine. The regulations of importing and exporting
wine are controlled by the various States and Provinces in North America
. Other countries around the world will also have their own trade
regulations and liquor laws.
How many bottles can you bring back to USA ?
Each adult US citizen is permitted 1 (one) litre of wine or spirits duty
free after 48 hours in Canada . Duty on wines can vary from 15 cents to
45 cents per bottle. It is recommended that you retain your receipt and
declare your purchase(s) at US Customs