Ice Wine

What is Ice Wine?

 This is a wine are made by one very unusual method of making wine that includes using frozen grapes. This type of wine is known as ice wine and it is not only a commonly made wine but also a very popular one.

Ice wine, known as Eiswein when made by the Germans who make a lot of it, is made in North America as  well as many Eastern European countries.

The Germans and Canadians are the most well known at making the best of these wines and this is definitely reflected in the prices paid by consumers.

It is also made in both Australia and New Zealand though to a lesser degree. The largest ice wine winery in located in Ontario in Canada.

Ice wine is a dessert wine made from frozen grapes. The freezing occurs while the grape is still on the vine. During the frost the grape itself does not freeze so much as the juice inside does.  To make this wine properly there must be a strong freeze after the grapes have ripened. In Canada this means seventeen degrees Fahrenheit while in Germany its nineteen degrees.

The downfall of this is that it requires the grapes to stay on the vines much later than normal. If a frost comes that is too harsh the crop will be destroyed. If it takes a long time before there is a frost the winery runs the risk of grapes falling from the vine and spoiling or being eaten by wild animals. This means that by the time the grapes are finally brought in, the harvest can be much less than if they were brought in as a regular crop.

Once the frost hits the workers must get out and harvest, by hand, the entire vineyard.  The grapes must be pressed as soon as possible after the frost so that they remain frozen during the process. This may mean that the pickers have to pick at night or extremely early of a morning to get them in to be pressed.

Some winemakers who feel this process is too risky use a process whereby they freeze the grapes under conditions that would be similar to a frost. This takes care of any problems that might occur with having to wait too long for a frost. It also ups the yield.

When it is made ice wine has a lovely sweet taste with a fruity aroma. It is rather high in acid content with a slightly lower alcohol content then many wines. Canadian wine will have up to thirteenth percent alcohol while Germany goes for the lower end at no more than six percent.