Ice wine is one of the most prized but mysterious wines made in our unique Wisconsin viticulture climate. We all know that ice wine is rare and more expensive than most wines but why is this? How is it made? And why is it called Ice Wine?
First, ice wine is made from frozen grapes. More specifically, grapes left hanging on the vine until they are naturally froze during winter (legally, only naturally frozen grapes can be called ice wine).
Ice Wine Harvest 2015, a quick pose, then get back to harvest!
Grapes need to get very cold to freeze, they do not freeze at the first frost, or event the first snow fall. The actual air temperature (not wind chill) needs to get to less than 12F for at least a 24 hour period. During our tours I tell our guests this is the first day during winter that you step outside and ask yourself why you live in Wisconsin (because we love it!).. In Wisconsin on an average year, less than 12F is reached in late December or early January. Once the grapes are frozen, like little marbles, they need to stay frozen during the rest of the process.
Frozen Ice Wine Grape, see the ice inside!
Thus, the grapes are crushed frozen and pressed frozen. This process usually needs to occur outside in order to keep the grapes frozen. Yes, we need to work outside for this whole process. The whole purpose of harvesting, crushing and pressing the grapes frozen is that this concentrates the juice, NATURALLY! This natural concentration happens because the water is frozen as ice, which stays in the press while the ice wine juice flows out of the press very slowly.
Very thick ice wine juice from the press
As the water remains in the press as ice the ice wine juice carrying away a vast amount of flavor, depth and character from the ice wine grapes. This naturally concentrated ice wine juice is also higher in natural sugar. Pressing frozen grapes for ice wine takes about 5 times longer than normal wine. The ice wine juice runs off the press very slowly because the ice packs tightly and there is much less juice that comes from each pound of grapes.
We bring the press inside to clean it our before the next press
It takes about 3-4 times more grapes to make a bottle of ice wine than it does to make a regular bottle of wine. Once all the frozen ice wine grapes are presses and the ice wine juice is collected the fermentation begins. The ice wine fermentation is a much slower fermentation (the process were the yeast turns the sugar into alcohol) this slower fermentation develops a deeper complexity and preserves the naturally concentrated flavors in the ice wine. The typical ice wine fermentation typically takes 2-3 months, normal wine takes 7-10 days!
This whole process makes ice wine unlike any other wine. Most wine aficionados consider Ice Wine one of the most complex styles of wine!
Ice wine is usually bottled about 10 months after harvest. Ice Wine can be consumed young or aged up to 10-15 years.
Main Facts!!
1. Naturally frozen grapes, crushed and presses frozen.
2. Must be naturally frozen to be labeled Ice Wine
3. Takes 3-4 times more grapes per bottle
4. Takes much longer to process and ferment
Why is ice wine more expensive? First, the process is much more time consuming and expensive to complete. More importantly, because is take 3-4 times more grapes the ice wine will be around the price of 3-4 bottles of regular wine, usually $40-$70. (beware if you see “ice wine” for less than $30 it is either poor quality or adulterated).
Read Ice Wine 2015
We will be releasing our next vintage of Ice Wine on February 21. We will be offering a number of excellent food pairings with Ice Wine that will delight your senses!
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