Though Icewine's roots can be traced to centuries-old German winemakers, there is nothing more quintessentially Canadian than this luscious luxury borne of patience and subzero bravura. Grapes are left on the vine well into the winter months to concentrate and intensify the flavors, as water content freezes, thaws and dehydrates in each precious Icewine grape. Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake at the historic Brae Burn Estate, Inniskillin has been producing world-renowned Icewines from grapes grown in the Niagara Peninsula since 1984.

Vidal is a hybrid (Ugni Blanc and Seibel) that has a thick skin suitable for harvesting late in the season. It is the grape grown most for Icewine in Ontario. Its natural acidity gives great structure to the lusciousness of its tropical aromas and flavors of mango and lychee.

This unique Canadian product was harvested at the height of Canada’s crisp winter. Naturally frozen on the vine and then picked when the temperature drops to a frigid -10°C. Only a small amount of concentrated nectar can be squeezed from each bunch. The juice is then slowly fermented at an average temperature of 15°C to achieve a rich, specialty wine known as Icewine.

This truly iconic icewine has lush aromatics of peach peel, mango, lemon and orange peel. The palate mirrors the nose with more apricot and peach skin. Great natural acidity is evident throughout the mid palate, leading to a long rounded finish.

We had a slower start to the winter season but with healthy grapes and minimal disease pressure Icewine grapes hung well into December and January. Cold temperatures started to come around in the start of January and starting to change the skins on the vines. We got -10°C temperatures the third week of January where we were able to get all the Icewine grapes picked in a 5-day window. Quality was very high and optimal Brix were achieved through pressing and great color was observed in the red varities. Overall, the v23 Icewines and they show great acidity, structure and flavor profiles at this early stage of their life cycles.

Pairs beautifully with aged cheddar, peach tart, and baked cheesecake with a peach compote.