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Freezing Temperatures Mean Ice Wine Harvest
Posted by perle0 on 2006-11-28 12:47:20
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[News]
[Okanagan Valley] |
 Looking at temperatures of -17 C (1 F), wineries in the Okanagan Valley in Canada broke out the gloves, extra socks, and thermoses of hot coffee. The conditions are perfect for ice wine, a sweet dessert wine made from frozen grapes. Unfortunately, the conditions were not perfect for harvesting, with wind chills bringing temperatures down to -27 C (-17 F), meaning that the pickers would have a chilly night in the vineyard, risking frostbite to exposed skin. However, such hardships are the norm in the high-risk, high-reward game of ice wine. |
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Wineries set aside small plots of grapes for ice wine (also known as eiswein) and hope that temperatures will drop and allow them to make the high-priced beverage, which often goes for a minimum of $60/half-bottle. The prices are high because of the risk--if the temperatures fail to drop below 8 C, the winery will not be able to make ice wine that year. Grapes left on the vine for long periods are also tempting fodder for hungry deer and birds, so the early freeze is making winemakers very happy (if cold).
Ice wine has its special qualities because the water in the grapes turns to ice, leaving a highly concentrated, sugary juice. Since so much of the grape's normal juice has locked up into ice, far more grapes are required to make the same amount of wine--30 pounds to make a 375ml half-bottle, as opposed to 3 pounds to make a full 750ml bottle of regular wine. The resulting wine is both sweet and highly complex. |
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