Wineries launch New York Ice Wine Festival

Casa Larga, Heron Hill, Hunt Country and Sheldrake Point are launching the first New York Ice Wine Festival, with events throughout February at Casa Larga in Perinton.

The festival is the first of its kind in the country, according to a Casa Larga news release. Participants will be able to try a variety of ice wines, attend seminars, meet winemakers and try food and ice wine pairings.

Ice wine is a sweet dessert wine made from frozen grapes. New York's ice wines have earned awards at international competitions. Recently, Casa Larga’s Fiori Vidal Ice Wine received the Trophy for Best Dessert Wine from the International Wine & Spirits Competition in London.

Festival events
** Noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 8, Fire & Ice Festival. Admission includes samples of New York ice wines at a hand-carved ice bar, seminars and live entertainment.
Tickets are $15 per person; $12 for Casa Larga Wine Lover’s Club members. Tickets will be available at the door as well as online and at Casa Larga.

** 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12, An Evening with the New York Ice Wine Makers. Participants will mingle with winemakers and eat light gourmet fare in a casual setting. Tickets are $45 per person; $40 for Casa Larga Wine Lover’s Club members.

** 7 p.m. Feb. 16, "It's an Ice Wine World" seminar. Participants will learn about ice wines and sample ice wines with food pairings from Chapel's. Tickets are $48 per person; $38 for Casa Larga’s Wine Lover’s Club members. Seating is limited.

** 6:30 p.m. Feb. 27, Fiori Gala Dinner. Chef Greg Broman has created several courses to pair with Casa Larga wines, with a dessert paired with the winery's ice wine. Tickets are $85 per person; $75 for Casa Larga’s Wine Lover’s Club members

Tickets
Details of the events are available at www.NYIceWineFestival.com. Tickets can be purchased on the Web site or by calling Casa Larga’s Wine Shop at (585) 223-4210, Option 2. Casa Larga Vineyards is lat 2287 Turk Hill Road in Perinton, just up the hill from Victor's Eastview Mall.