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. Inniskillin Vidal Icewine is made in two distinct styles.

The grapes for this Icewine were harvested at an average temperature of -10°C. Pressed immediately the resulting juice was an ideal 37.7 brix for a sparkling Icewine. Inoculated with a very specific strain of yeast the juice was allowed to ferment under pressure in a charmat tank at an average temperature of 17°C until it reached an alcohol of 9.5%.

This unique icewine boasts aromatics of peach, orange and mango. Flavors of citrus, lychee and pineapple balanced by an energetic acidity and lively effervescence round out this Inniskillin classic.

The third week of December 2022 brought ideally frigid temperatures of -10˚C, signaling 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 quality standards with the perfect sugar levels and well-balanced acidity. 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.

This classic sparkling wine is always an amazing pairing with fresh oysters. This wine also pairs well with an aray of cheeses from brie to blue cheese.