Brrrr… Ice Wine!
…something I’ve never had! Truthfully, I don’t reach for desert wine too often, but there are times when it hits the spot, and being someone that loves to discover new wines, vineyards, regions etc., I’m naturally intrigued and would love to try some. If only I was going to be in Niagara this weekend…
…because this weekend is the finale to the Niagara Icewine Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.
Ice wine is produced from grapes that are frozen while still on the vine. While the water in the grapes freezes, the sugars don’t, so when the grapes are pressed, the result is a more concentrated, very sweet wine. The wines typically have a refreshing sweetness balanced by high acidity.
At this weekends Ice Wine celebration, an estimated 7,000 people are expected to attend, nearly half from the US, many from upstate New York. Covered tents will be set up on Queen Street in this picturesque town and local wineries and restaurants will be showcasing food and ice wine. According to the festival’s site: “From Gala evening toasts to chestnut roasts, ornate ice bars and winery tours, the 14th Niagara Icewine Festival offers plenty for every taste.”
Too late to buy tickets for me; anyone planing on going, or has been in the past? Let us know…
You can read more here at BizJournals.com or at the Niagara Wine Festival website.
I have a bottle of Royal DeMaria 2000 Chardonnay Ice Wine as well as the 2000 Vidal and the 1998 Vidal (Signed) Bottle and was maybe looking at selling them. They have been cellared properly since I bought them.