New York > Industry Insights > Ice Wine—A Wine with the Sweetest Reward

Ice Wine—A Wine with the Sweetest Reward

Of all of the gambles a vineyard can take, ice wine has got to be the risk with the sweetest reward. Believed to have been discovered in 19th-century Germany, Eiswein is the product of leaving wine grapes on their vines for a far-longer-than-typical hang time—until after the first freeze of the season. The result is a syrupy, sweet cordial that has quickly become a favorite dessert wine worldwide.

Since its discovery in Germany, ice wine has become a staple of cold climate wine regions, most notably the Finger Lakes region and the Niagara region of Canada. The weather patterns in these two areas allow for consistently productive seasons. As a result, the ice wine produced from these regions has been steadily growing in popularity. Inniskillin Winery of Ontario is a leading name in ice wine production, with worldwide recognition increasing after the company’s acquisition by wine industry giant Constellation. In the Finger Lakes, Sheldrake Point, Hunt Country and Casa Larga have all won a variety of awards for their ice wines, leading to an excellent reputation for the overall Finger Lakes wine region. These ice wines maintain an excellent quality while generally selling at a more affordable price than Canadian and European counterparts.

Many people ask, “What makes ice wine different from table wine?” Because of the method of production, ice wines are generally thicker and richer, not to mention sweeter, than their standard counterpart. A typical ice wine will have aromas that include, but are not limited to, honey and dried fruits such as apricots, raisins, or dates. The mouth weight will be substantial, with a texture similar to syrup. A variety of grapes can be used to produce ice wine, each one providing different characteristics. The most popular include riesling, gewürztraminer and muscat, with vidal blanc quickly becoming a favorite for North American producers. Although seen on a lesser scale than whites, red ice wines have been produced from the cabernet franc grape, resulting in a wine with pronounced strawberry flavor.

Due to its richness, ice wine is perfect for pairing with heavier-bodied desserts such as cheesecakes or dark chocolates. Its consistency allows for it to be used as syrup on foods such as ice cream. Some will even use it as a more sophisticated beverage for dunking Oreo cookies.

There is great risk involved with producing ice wine, which may keep some wineries from entering into the competitive ring. Weather, vineyard wildlife, and lower juice yields are all factors that need to be taken into account with ice wines. Regardless, ice wines are paying off big for wineries in the Finger Lakes region. At Casa Larga Vineyards in Fairport, New York, both varieties of ice wine—vidal blanc and cabernet franc—have received a well-deserved cavalcade of fantastic reviews.

Ice wines are complex, rich and the perfect companions to dessert. Though in general the price tag is higher than that of other wines, the taste, conversation value, and overall experience of the product is worth every penny. The vineyards took a gamble in making it, and you’d do yourself a disservice not to take a sure bet and give it a try.

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