If you are a wine connoisseur, you understand the importance of obtaining a broad array of general wine knowledge to support your hobby. Part of that wine knowledge is knowing how to make ice wine.
The Basics of Ice Wine
Ice wine is called so because the grapes that are used to make it have been frozen while still growing on the vine. The water in the grapes freezes, leaving just the sugars and solids that have dissolved within the grapes.
Without water in them, the grapes produce a more concentrated wine—granted in smaller amounts—than regular grapes. These wines tend to be very sweet and delicious and are usually much more expensive than regularly harvested wines, due to the amount of labour and difficult process of making the wine.
Wine is generally made in areas of the world with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, which is why much of the world’s wine comes from Italy, France, Spain, and California.
Ice wine on the other hand needs freezing temperatures in order for the grapes to freeze. Therefore, you will find wineries specializing in ice wine anywhere from Canada to Sweden.
How to Make It
To make ice wine, the grapes need to be naturally frozen on the vine for at least two full days, to ensure they are completely frozen through. The later the harvest, the better, but after two full days of temperatures in the -13?C (9?F) to -10?C (14?F), you can begin to harvest your grapes.
The grapes should be picked by hand to ensure they stay whole and the sugars and juices inside remain intact. They should also be picked in the middle of the night if possible. This not only guarantees that they remain in freezing temperatures throughout the picking process, but also that they will stay frozen throughout the pressing process. Yes, you read correctly!
Ice wine requires the grapes to be pressed while still frozen, leaving the water in the grape and the juice free to be pressed out. The amount of juice obtained per grape is very small, maybe one or two drops per grape, but the concentration in each drop is great.
The more frozen the grape, the more sugar is left in the concentration, making your wine sweet and delicious. Once you have pressed all of the grapes you can begin the fermenting process, which can last up to a few months. Then simply bottle up your creation and have fun taste testing!
Learning how to make ice wine is fun and delicious! If you have the time and energy (not to mention the patience) to make this great tasting treat… then have at it and have a ball while you do it.
Wine holds its place in history as a drink that brings people together, so follow in your ancestor’s footsteps and try your luck at a batch of ice wine?
Visit these boutique wineries to grow your knowledge of boutique wine and boutique wineries:
