Ice Wine
by Brenda Francis
Once you've tasted this elixir of golden flavor you'll never forget it. Traditionally, Eiswein is a German specialty, made from grapes left to hang on the vine as long as they can after traditional harvest. Once the grapes freeze, they are quickly picked from the vine and gently pressed. The juice from these extremely ripe grapes contains less water because the ice crystals stay behind with the solids. Consequently this dessert wine is extremely concentrated.

Ice wines from areas other than Germany have become as popular as their time-honored predecessors. Grapes used to produce these new world beauties are often artificially frozen, but there are still some producers that allow their grapes to freeze on the vine. One California producer said that in his growing region, the grapes would hang until the next growing season if it was left up to nature to freeze them. This is why his grapes are allowed to ripen to the perfect level and then are frozen in large freezers.

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Whether you opt for the traditional or look to new world versions, there is an important factor to consider when exploring ice wine. As sugar increases through ripening, acidity decreases. Slow, steady ripening allows the grapes to retain a decent level of acidity. When wine, especially a dessert wine contains a lot of sweetness, but not much acidity, it is said to be flabby or cloying. Compare this to a salad made with olive oil, but no splash of balsamic vinegar; it tastes just a little bit dull.

Ice wine needs a dose of mouthwatering acidity to add a complimentary facet to the sweet, yet exotic flavors. Artificial freezing offers growers a window in which to pick. The grower can balance declining acidity against increasing sweetness.

Cooler growing regions do well for this style of dessert wine. A long growing season offers complexity and extreme flavors of apricot, peach, mango, pineapple, honey, marmalade, tangerine, and crystallized ginger. While German versions are the real thing, they can be pricy. Versions from new world producers such as Canada, Washington, Oregon, California and Chile are impressive values. You can find chardonnay, viognier, gewürztraminer, chenin blanc, and other white grapes on the label, but riesling is the classic grape for this delightful recipe. Ice wine is usually sold in half bottle sizes and is unquestionably meant to share.