Have you heard about icewine?
It’s wine produced from grapes that have been naturally frozen while still on the vine in the Canadian Niagara Peninsula.
The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing for a more concentrated grape juice to develop. The icewine grapes’ must is pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of more concentrated, luscious luxury sweet wine with intense flavors. Only healthy grapes keep in good shape until the opportunity arises for an ice wine harvest.
There are so many ways to enjoy the Icewine experience.
All varieties of Icewine are sweet, dessert wines, though they can be made with different kinds of grapes. Icewine is best when chilled before serving, with semi-sweet desserts, or with spicy or strongly-flavored foods. Because Icewine is intensely sweet, a little goes a long way. Icewine stays fresher longer than many other wines as long as it’s sealed and refrigerated because of its rich sugar content. Drink within two weeks after opening bottle.
Drink icewine for dessert
- Enjoy a small glass of icewine as a dessert beverage after a nice meal. The sweetness makes for the perfect comforting nightcap.
Make icewine slushies’
- Put 200 mL of icewine in a blender and add 8-10 ice cubes. Blend the drink until it has the consistency of a slushie. Pour it into a chilled glass and sip the experience.
Create an icewine cocktail
- Combine 50 mL of sparkling icewine, 50 mL of vodka, and 50 mL of lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Shake it with crushed ice then enjoy it in a martini glass with a lime garnish.
Add a splash of icewine to bubble drinks.
- Pour a dash of icewine in your favorite bubble drink or cocktail, such as a Bellini or a mimosa, to add sweetness and complexity.
Pair icewine with strongly flavored foods
- Icewine perfectly complements strongly flavored foods. The sweetness and acidity of the icewine will pair nicely with strong tastes.
Serve icewine with rich seafood
- Crab cakes, lobster, or prawns sautéed in butter would be a perfect pairing for icewine. This sugary wine will complement the flavor of the seafood while its sour undertones balance out the richness.
Choose spicy foods to pair with icewine.
- Spicy dishes, including curries, Cajun dishes, and spicy Asian cuisine, pair well with ice wine. The cool and sweet fruitiness of icewine is a perfect balance to the spice and heat.
Enjoy a glass of icewine with a semi-sweet dessert.
- Icewine pairs well with dessert items like dark chocolate. Choose a dessert that is not intensely sweet.
Icewine as an aperitif
- Sparkling Vidal Icewine is an impressive aperitif or greeting drink – pour 57ml in a glass serving and drop in a blueberry or a frozen grape.
Enjoy a glass of icewine paired with an entrée
- Icewine offers unique flavours to glazes, sauces and marinades.
- Riesling and Vidal Icewine are an unforgettable pair with rich seafood, Sushi and Thai food.
- Sparkling Icewine is the most versatile and can pair with almost anything due to freshness and dryness perception caused by the bubbles from beginning to end of a meal; it stands up to the heat in spicy foods.
