Baldwin Vineyards releases an Ice Wine

Just back from vacation and I hear that Baldwin Vineyards is releasing an Ice Wine today. I'll have to head there in the next few weeks and try some.

Ice wines were first made popular in Germany, where they left the Riesling grapes hang in the vineyard well past the usual September or October harvest date. Let the grapes freeze and harvested the grapes while frozen which decreases the amount of water in the juice and increases the sugar and the flavors. Bery expensive process, but the result is some of the worlds most expensive wines.

I had the opportunity to taste a variety of ice wines in Canada..Lake Niagara wine region. They told me that when conditions are good for picking, they pick at night and have a limited time to get it all done. Once the sun starts to rise, they have to stop as it affects the grapes.

Ice wine is very sweet!