What are the different styles of ice wine?
Ice wine (Eiswein) is made from grapes picked frozen on the vine at about minus 7 degrees C. The main styles are true ice wine, made from naturally frozen grapes, and cheaper iced or dessert wines made from commercially frozen grapes, which cannot be sold as ice wine in the countries Wine Folly lists. Young ice wine is bright; aged ice wine is syrupy.
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In this article
What are the styles of ice wine?
| Style | How it is made |
|---|---|
| True ice wine (Eiswein) | Grapes freeze naturally on the vine and are pressed while frozen |
| Iced or dessert wine | Made from commercially frozen grapes; Wine Folly says it cannot be labeled ice wine in the countries it lists |
Ice wines also differ by grape and age.
How is ice wine made?
Grapes are picked frozen on the vine and pressed while frozen, at around 20 degrees F (minus 7 degrees C). Only about 10 to 20 percent of the liquid in the frozen grapes is used. The juice is very sweet, so fermentation is long and slow. Finished wines are around 10 percent ABV with 160 to 220 g/L of residual sugar. Al Jazeera reports that Eiswein grapes ideally spend at least 24 hours at that temperature or lower.
Which grapes are used?
Wine Folly lists Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc and Vidal Blanc, a French hybrid. Wine Folly names Canada, Germany, Austria and the US as places with ice wine labeling rules.
What does it taste like?
- Young: intensely sweet with explosive fruit and bright acidity.
- Aged: syrupy and deep bronze, with molasses, maple and hazelnut notes.
Why is ice wine expensive?
It needs four to five times as many grapes as regular wine, the grapes are hand-picked in freezing conditions, and the market is small. Al Jazeera notes that ice wine comes from a very small share of the harvest, under 0.1 percent. Wine Folly says many good Canadian ice wines cost over 50 dollars for a 375 ml bottle.
How should you serve it?
Serve it chilled in small glasses with subtle, fatty desserts such as cheesecake, vanilla pound cake, ice cream, fruit panna cotta or white chocolate mousse, or with soft cheeses. Most ice wines are best within about 10 years.
People also ask
What temperature is needed for ice wine?
Grapes are picked frozen at around minus 7 degrees C (20 degrees F).
Why is ice wine so expensive?
It needs four to five times as many grapes, is hand-picked in the cold, and yields are small.
What grapes make ice wine?
Riesling, Vidal Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer and others, according to Wine Folly.
Sources
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