Icewines

How are icewines made?: Naturally frozen on the vine, grapes are hand-picked when the temperature falls below -8 to -10 degrees Celsius. The frozen grapes are crushed immediately, releasing a tiny amount of concentrated sweet nectar which is slowly fermented over several months.

History of Icewine: Ice wine, or Eiswein, originated in Franconia, Germany in 1794. The process was refined, and now ice wines are highly prized drinks that are created in Germany, Austria and Canada. Canadian Ice Wine is currently the most widely respected producer of ice wines. When the grapes are just right, they’re carefully picked by hand. Grapes in this condition have a very low yield - often an entire vine only makes a single bottle. That’s why ice wine can be so expensive and is often sold in half-bottles only... but it’s worth it!

Ice wines, such as the Canadian Vidal Ice Wine are best served chilled and are an elegant companion to desserts or fruit, or as an excellent accompaniment to well-aged blue cheeses or foie gras.