The grapes stay on the vine through autumn and dry into raisins. As winter arrives, the freeze-thaw cycle further dehydrates them, intensifying the sugar, acids and other components. The flavour of the juice is highly concentrated, making a complex wine with deep, rich nuances.
Canada has made icewine into an international star. We've trademarked the term, and our Vintners Quality Alliance has created the most stringent regulations in the world for its production: it must be naturally produced (no artificial freezing); it must have a minimum Brix (sugar content) of 35 degrees; the alcohol must come from the grapes' natural sugars; and the harvest must not start before Nov. 15.
Why the exorbitant price tag and small bottle? When pressed, the frozen grapes produce miniscule amounts of juice. The yield is less than one-quarter of what would be produced by unfrozen grapes.
10 things you should know about icewine:
1. Icewine was discovered accidently in Franconia, Germany, in 1794. Vintners pressed frozen grapes they'd left on the vines for winter animal fodder and found that the resulting wine had a very high level of sugar. Late-harvest sweet wines were already prized in Germany, so by the 1800s, Eiswein was being made intentionally in the Rheingau region.
2. Icewine is made in Canada, Germany, Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Israel and California. Those made using freezers are often called "icebox wines."
3. The first Canadian commercial icewine was made in 1978 by Hainle Vineyards in British Columbia. Ontario followed in 1984, when Karl Kaiser of Inniskillin produced his first batch, using nets to protect the sweet grapes from hungry foraging critters (yet another reason for the high cost).
4. The Canadian harvest only happens in winter, once temperatures have fallen below –8ºC, and lasts for just two or three consecutive nights. The grapes are frantically hand-picked, at night or in early morning, then pressed while still frozen in an unheated building.
5. White Vidal and Riesling are the most common icewine grapes in Canada, but red Cabernet Franc is increasingly popular. Syrah/ Shiraz and Gewurztraminer are up-and-comers.
Page 1 of 2 -- Learn how to serve icewine on page 2
