Ice Cider is a hot trend for 2008 and just as apples are available across Canada so are the Ice Ciders with many delicious varieties to choose from. As we discovered in an informal test kitchen tasting, picking up just any bottle does not mean you are guaranteed a great quaff. What worked best were the wines that were well balanced with a nice hit of acidity.

Canadian Living featured Ice Cider’s in the November 2007 issue and once again, Neige by La Face Cachee de la Pomme in Quebec came out on top of the ones we tried. The County Cider Company in Prince Edward County, Ontario and Raven Ridge Cidery in Kelowna, B.C are also making fine ciders.

Although not an ice cider, we had a couple of bottles of sparkling cider that we also had a taste of. Ciderie St Nicolas in Quebec has Cremant St Nicholas, a 2.8% light cider, that is clean, light and refreshing. - it would be a great out of the ordinary drink to serve with brunch.

Look for locally produced varieties were you live. Ice Cider’s are still less expensive than Ice Wine so they are fun to try out without breaking the bank.

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