Note: I approached Bob several weeks back about writing up an Icewine tutorial. At the time, I didn't have many pics showing the progress. But now I do. - Steve
Overview
For those of you who have never had it, Icewine (Eiswein in Germany, Vin de Glace in France) is a real treat. More dessert than wine, it can contain up to 20% residual sugar - along with copious amounts of alcohol.
True Icewine is difficult and expensive to make. Producers in Canada and Germany must adhere to strict government regulations in order to call their product Icewine. Grapes must be harvested and crushed in the dead of winter, and requires equipment far out of reach for most home winemakers.
Fortunately, we can create a close approximation by skipping the frosty harvest and employing a technique called "cryo-extraction." While that sounds impressive and high-tech, it's really involves nothing more than freezing white grape juice and doing a partial thaw in order to concentrate the sugary goodness.
When making faux Icewine (or "icebox wine"), there are many white grape varietals that work nicely. What you want to look for is one that has an intense bouquet. Acidic varieties are also preferred, since acid will help balance the intense sugar and not leave the wine tasting syrupy and flat. In Germany, Riesling, or sometimes Gewürztraminer, is used. In Canada, a hybrid varietal called Vidal Blanc is the grape of choice.
For my own Icewine, I chose Muscat Canelli. Muscat has a great floral nose that smells reminiscent of tea roses and citrus.
In the following posts, I'll walk through the general process. I don't like to use the term "recipe," because it implies methods that must be strictly adhered to. In winemaking there are too many variables, and what works well for one person may not work for others.
Enjoy!
Icewine000.jpg
Overview
For those of you who have never had it, Icewine (Eiswein in Germany, Vin de Glace in France) is a real treat. More dessert than wine, it can contain up to 20% residual sugar - along with copious amounts of alcohol.
True Icewine is difficult and expensive to make. Producers in Canada and Germany must adhere to strict government regulations in order to call their product Icewine. Grapes must be harvested and crushed in the dead of winter, and requires equipment far out of reach for most home winemakers.
Fortunately, we can create a close approximation by skipping the frosty harvest and employing a technique called "cryo-extraction." While that sounds impressive and high-tech, it's really involves nothing more than freezing white grape juice and doing a partial thaw in order to concentrate the sugary goodness.
When making faux Icewine (or "icebox wine"), there are many white grape varietals that work nicely. What you want to look for is one that has an intense bouquet. Acidic varieties are also preferred, since acid will help balance the intense sugar and not leave the wine tasting syrupy and flat. In Germany, Riesling, or sometimes Gewürztraminer, is used. In Canada, a hybrid varietal called Vidal Blanc is the grape of choice.
For my own Icewine, I chose Muscat Canelli. Muscat has a great floral nose that smells reminiscent of tea roses and citrus.
In the following posts, I'll walk through the general process. I don't like to use the term "recipe," because it implies methods that must be strictly adhered to. In winemaking there are too many variables, and what works well for one person may not work for others.
Enjoy!
Icewine000.jpg
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