What are ice wine grapes?

What are ice wine grapes?

The main grapes for ice wine are Riesling and Vidal Blanc. ‘The temperature needs to be below -7°C or -8ºC before the grapes can be picked for these ultra-concentrated sweet wines,’ said Natasha Hughes in the January 2013 issue of Decanter magazine.

Is ice wine sweet or dry?

When you hear ‘Ice Wine,’ or see the German spelling ‘Eiswein,’ think dessert wine. Most famously produced in Canada, Ice wine is just about as sweet as wine will get. That’s because it’s produced from grapes that were at one point naturally frozen while still on the grape vine.

How many grapes are in ice wine?

It takes about 3.5 kilograms of Riesling grapes or three kilograms of Vidal grapes to produce one 375-millilitre bottle of Icewine. The same amount of grapes would produce six to seven times as much table wine.

How is ice wine different?

Ice wine is traditionally made using grapes that are frozen while they’re still on the vine. Since the sugars and other dissolved solids don’t freeze, when the frozen grapes are pressed you’re left with a much more concentrated, sweeter wine.

Is ice wine stronger than regular wine?

Ice wine usually has a slightly lower alcohol content than regular table wine. Some Riesling ice wines from Germany have an alcohol content as low as 6%. Ice wines produced in Canada usually have higher alcohol content, between 8 and 13 per cent.

At what temperature should ice wine be drunk?

between 10-12°C
How do I serve Icewine? Icewines are ideally enjoyed chilled between 10-12°C, so if you are taking out of the cellar it may need some time in the fridge. And not just any fridge mind you. You need a fridge that is capable of getting as low as 10-12 C.

Why is ice wine so expensive?

Because of the lower yield of grape musts and the difficulty of processing, ice wines are significantly more expensive than table wines. They are often sold in half-bottle volume (375 ml) or the even smaller 200ml bottle.