The Ice Wine Cometh

Wanted: Workers with a gentle touch, but muscular arms; nocturnal vision; appreciation of working outdoors in sub zero temperatures.  If interested in creating one of the world’s most expensive, exclusive and quintessential products, please reply to the nearest winery in Ontario, Canada, Northern Michigan or Upstate New York.

Ice wine.  The Germans do it.  The Canadians do it better. And the New Yorkers and Michiganders are quickly and successfully learning how to make this rich, lush, silky kiss of fruit and earth which is often described as “Heaven in a glass.”

What is it about this non-denominational wine that brings on descriptions of a higher Spirit? Perhaps it is because the entire life, or hope of life, for a grape to become an Ice Wine is completely dependent upon Mother Nature.

“I believe any year you can produce Ice Wine is a spectacular year, “ says Mark Johnson, winemaker at Chateau Chantal in Traverse City, Michigan.  “It means that you were able to get your grapes through an entire season without any disease problems” Mark looks for grapes that can survive 15°F temperatures, birds, raccoons, wind, sleet or snow. Those that STILL cling to the vine are the ones he wants.

The vintage of 2007 was stellar for the up and coming Ice Wine producers in North America.  Great eiswein is made virtually every year in Germany and Ontario as both experience bitterly cold winters and grow grapes with the skins to “hang on” until the water in the grape berries freeze. What remains in the fruit is concentrated grape juice made up of about 35% natural fruit sugar. 

That means leaving grapes such as Riesling, Vidal, Cab Franc, Niagara, on the vine till mid-winter because Federal labeling rules specify that the grapes must be picked frozen and not frozen after they leave the vine. Vintners hand-pick their precious grape bunches when the temperature is well below freezing and they do so in the late night/early morning hours so not even one tiny ounce of sunshine might cause a smidgen of thaw in the grapes.

The ice-covered grapes allow the pure fructose-laden juice to run free when it is delicately pressed in the frozen state.  The flavors, acidity and sugar are so concentrated the juice is visually and financially “Liquid Gold.”

Thank Mother Nature for the 2007 crop. “It was the best harvest in 15 years,” says Jim Trezise of the New York Wine Grape Foundation. New York still wines are highly coveted and its Ice Wine maidens are no exception.  A dozen vintners take the time and risk to produce this sumptuous wine.

“Heron Hill, Casa Larga, Wagner for Riesling or Vidal Ice Wines.  Lakewood does some Native American Ice Wines that are quite good too,” says Trezise. Johnson says his Riesling grape crop was exceptionally healthy in 2007. “You need a grape with a relatively thick skin to hang on the vine for such a long time and not shrivel up.” Chateau Chantal is also experimenting with some other unnamed hybrids to blend with its Riesling.Meanwhile at Chateau Thomas Winery in Plainfield, Indiana, winemaker Nicholas Funke is chilling some Cabernet Franc juice and plans to create a Cab Franc Ice Wine for release in April, 2008.

“Currently we sell a Lake Erie Vidal Blanc Ice Wine that was harvested on January 20, 2007 with 39 brix and a residual of 17.  The grapes were picked and pressed at 23 degrees.”  Those numbers are what Funke says creates the rich, delicious wine with aromas and flavors of apricots and peaches. Finding that balance means supply and demand dictates the price.

At Chateau Chantal, a one-ton harvest of grapes usually produces 175 gallons of wine.  A one-ton harvest of ice wine grapes makes about 40 gallons.  A 375ml bottle of Chateau Chantal Riesling Ice Wine sells for $60.00. “It’s not always a money making venture, but the fact that it is truly unique to the coolest regions of the wine world and the fact that it tastes so darn good make it logical to continue, “ says Johnson.

Look for the 2007/2008 harvested Ice Wines this coming summer.