In Time for the Holiday Parties, the Ice Wine Cometh

The Holidays are here and so is old man winter. While we are dealing with icy conditions on the outside, it would be fun to celebrate the Holidays with some ice on the inside - Ice Wine that is. Let's observe this rich and luscious nectar.

It is believed Ice Wine got its start in Germany in 1794. German winemakers were already production late harvest (sweet dessert) wine, so this is a logical development. Grapes used to make these wines typically have wee or no botrytis (nicknamed noble rot, that concentrates sugars in grapes, used to make German Late Harvest sweetmeat wines and French Sauternes). These salutary grapes are left on the vine until the first deep frost. When frozen, the water inside the grape freezes and can be pressed out, concentrating the flavors and sugars of these grapes. The consequent is a concentrated and intense sweetmeat wine, intended to be enjoyed in small portions.

Food And Dessert

Before the first deep frost, these grapes are super ripe and are an exciting source of food for birds. Flocks have been known to decimate vineyards in the late Fall, so some wineries use netting over their grapes to protect these crops.

Ice Wine is Canada's claim to fame in the wine world. From the central Provence of Ontario straight through western British Columbia, these wines are made when old man winter's icy grasp has unmistakably frosty grapes still on the vine. Canada made its first this sweet sweetmeat wine in 1972 in British Columbia, but today, 75% of Canadian Ice Wines are produced in the Ontario Provence. Quality wineries contain Inniskillin and Jackson-Triggs. Also Canada and Germany, Austria, the U.S. And recently New Zealand also furnish these sweet, magical elixirs.

Canadian Ice Wine is governed by the Vintners Quality Alliance (Vqa), to ensure uniform stock quality. A key issue is that these grapes must ice naturally on the vine, and not be harvested and then frozen. The challenge is to allow the grapes to freeze, but not to reach extremely cold temperatures before harvesting. The optimal temperature for harvesting is 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sugar article reaches practically 45%. These grapes are then picked by hand and crop yields can be understandably low. This makes the process difficult and adds to the cost of these extremely prized wines.

The two ordinarily used grape varietals are Riesling (known for its acidity and mineral notes) and Vidal (known for flavors of honey, apricot and tangerine). Both varietals can stand up to this rugged process. After fermentation, the wine is barrel aged for months. Ice Wine has a golden amber color with intoxicating aromas of peach, apricot and mango. When a Quality bottle is first opened, these aromas can unmistakably fill the air with the aromas of peaches and apricots around a table. Given its rich, sweet character, these wines are regularly enjoyed in small cordial glasses with 2 oz. Pours.

When a wine becomes trendy, variations will ordinarily follow. Ice Wine has a sparkling variety first commercially produced by Ontario's Inniskillin. Neige is an Ice Cider made in Quebec from fermented McIntosh and Spartan apples that has received accolades. Mary Michelle winery in Carrollton, Illinois, lays claim to employing the winemaker that pioneered this sweet sweetmeat wine in the U.S. In 1976 and now makes Ice Wines at this winery.

food Pairings

Ice Wines have a balanced acidity that is found in higher Quality sweetmeat wines. This bodes well for food pairings or enjoyment by itself. In pairing a sweetmeat with this wine, the following guidelines apply:

- Do not pair with a sweetmeat that is sweeter than this wine

- To counter this wine's sweetness, cheese can be a splendid foil. The wine's acidity helps cut straight through the richness of cheese and cheese's saltiness helps equilibrium the intense sweetness of Ice Wines. Asiago, Gruyere, aged Gouda and Blue cheese are all good matches.

Bill's Wine Picks

Mary Michelle Vidal Blanc, Illinois - not rated
Selaks, New Zealand - 86 pts. Wine Spectator
Jackson-Triggs Vidal, Canada - 89 pts. Wine Spectator
Neige Apple Ice Wine, Canada - not rated
Nittnaus Grüner Veltliner, Austria - 94 pts. Wine Spectator
Inniskillin, Canada - Vidal & Riesling wines - 91 pts. Wine Spectator

Wine of the Month:

Jackson-Triggs Vidal Ice Wine

This Canadian Ice Wine hails from the Niagara Peninsula. The 2007 Proprietors' support received a 89 pt rating from the Wine Spectator and describes this wine as "Light-weight though still packs in the sweetness, along with apple skin, apricot, marmalade and a hint of onion. Balanced, with a lingering finish. Drink now straight through 2018". This wine is easily available, as 8,000 cases were imported. Cheers!

As published in The Naperville Sun, The Beacon News, The Courier News and The Herald News - December 17, 2010 By Bill Garlough for Sun Times Media

In Time for the Holiday Parties, the Ice Wine Cometh