Ice wine is neither icy nor traditional wine
Last week I had my first taste of ice wine. Frankly, I didn't know what to expect so at the urging of the wine shop owner and the fact I didn't want to act like I knew enough to decline the invitation, I took a taste.
You know how you look at a label or have an idea in your head about a name. With ice wine I was wrong, it's neither icy nor a traditional wine taste. It's more like a lovely sherry, warm and cuddly with just a hint of acidity.
Ice wine, which you will find on the shelves this time of the year, is a sweet wine made from frozen grapes that are harvested in the middle of winter. Most noted appellations are Canada, Austria, and Germany where it's called "eiswein".
The sugar concentrates in the cold as the grape's water content freezes. The wine has a golden color with aromas of honeysuckle, peach, apple and pear. It is a "drink-now" wine so there is no issue with vintage.
With the high alcohol and sweetness that is a preservative, it can remain opened for a long period of time. The biggest name, Inniskillin, comes from Eastern Canada, in and around the Niagara area. Ice wine is getting more popular with Canada, where sales are now up to $45 million with 140 wineries, which is minor compared to other world wine producers.
Ice wine festivals flourish in January with village tastings, dinners and sporting events in British Columbia, Ontario and Niagara.
Some grapes make better ice wine than others. Usually the reds don't do well, so you will see names like chenin blanc, gewŸrztraminer, pinot gris, vidal and chardonnay. The grapes are hand-picked in the dead of winter at temperatures averaging below 10 degrees.
Canadian law actually mandates that the grapes be picked at these temperatures in order to be called ice wine.
As the grapes are pressed, the sweet, acidic concentration is separated from the ice and thrown away. What's left is a super-concentration of juice, an almost surreal juxtaposition of acid and sweetness making it a sensational drink.
Ice wine grapes have a very low yield, less than 10% of the normal harvest of a wine. A single bottle usually takes an entire vine. Pricing must reflect this, so ice wines are a premium, generally in the $50 range and would be considered a dessert wine.
Serve it chilled with an ideal drinking temperature of 45 degrees.
Locally, Keyways Vineyard and Winery in Temecula Wine Country has introduced an exciting addition to the ice wine family, with its Krystal(cq)1.
Teri Pebley, who is a newer vineyard/winery owner in Temecula and a creative mover and shaker, has used the chenin blanc grape, whose origins are in the North of France.
She has a $45 price tag on this 2005 wine, but for an introduction to ice wine, she will allow a 20% discount if a person comes into the winery wearing mittens. For more information call 951-302-7888 . The tasting room is open daily from 10am to 6pm.
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San Diego State University is ramping up new wine classes for its certification program for 2007 and the Temecula Valley will be the site for spring courses. Stuart Cellars, a favorite of mine, will host a "Dynamic Wine and Food Pairing" day on Saturday March 17th from 8:30am to 4pm. A second class will also be at Stuart Cellars on Saturday April 14th.The goal is to present the wine student with a Professional Certificate in the Business of Wine. Fee is $180.
The course is open to anyone who wishes to pursue an interest in wines, or a career. Contact SDSU's College of Extended Studies for more information, at 619-265-SDSU or log on to website.
The Local Sip
Valentine's Day is close and you would do well to spend it at Stuart Cellars in Temecula Wine Country, with winemaker Marshall Stuart. A paired dinner features the velvety 2004 Tatria with a trio of main entrees. Call 951-676-6414 for reservations.* * *
A Valentine's Day wine dinner with an "amore" theme is planned this Wednesday evening at 6:30pm at Carlsbad Wine Merchants featuring the food and wine of Northern Italy.Impresario Marco Barat will MC. Cost is $100 per person, with reservations at 760-804-9994 .
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The Wine Loft in Carlsbad's Forum is presenting a wine and cheese event this Saturday and Sunday, February 17th and 18th from 2pm to 5pm.Four wines will be paired with four artisan cheeses. No RSVP required. The phone for more information is 760-944-1412.
10631 Vinedale Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352 - Phone (818) 767-3413 - Fax: (818) 767-1410