Inniskillin Riesling Icewine

Niagara Peninsula VQA, Canada

Vintage:2022 (Current)

2019 (Past) | 2021 (Past) |

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Inniskillin Riesling Icewine 2022

Overview

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.

Riesling is a classic grape variety suitable for Icewine. Its tropical and citrus aromas and flavors offer an elegance that are defined by its natural high acidity.

Winemaking

Grapes for this Riesling Icewine were harvested at frigid -10°C. After pressing a small amount of concentrated liquid the juice was settled, racked and inoculated. Fermentation was done at a cool 15°C for 23 days until a balance of sugar, alcohol and acidity remained.

Tasting Notes

Beautifully balanced and intense. This Inniskillin Riesling Icewine has notes of lemon grass, and honey dew melon on the nose. While on the palate, citrus and lime flavours highlghts the fresh acidity. This was a showstopping vintage that truly brought high intesity and lots of ripeness to this Icewine.

Harvest Notes

The third week of December 2022 brought ideally frigid temperatures of -10˚C, signalling the beginning of Inniskillin’s world renowned Icewine harvest, completed by February 5th in four thorough and diligent pickings. Cabernet Franc and Riesling were off the vines in December, which is historically the ideal timing to pick Icewine as it limits the risk of dehydration, high winds, and wildlife interaction with our prized crop. The consistently icy weather afforded the optimal harvesting temperature, allowing us to execute Inniskillin’s award-winning quality standards with the perfect sugar levels and well-balanced acidities. At pressing, only a few drops of concentrated juice could be extracted from each bunch, about 10% of a normal fall harvest yield, a scarcity which makes Icewine so unique and highly sought after.

Food Pairing

Pears beautifully with a variety of desserts including lemon tart, key lime pie, and cheesecake.

Technical Information

Varietals: 100% Riesling

Wine Alcohol: 9.5%

Titratable Acidity: 10.4 g/L

pH: 3.28

Residual Sugar: 200 g/L