“Inniskillin is a pioneering winery. As the first winery in Canada to be granted a license after prohibition, they wowed the French in the 1990s with their Vidal Icewine and continue to wow us today with their Niagara Peninsula Riesling Icewine. Bright notes of caramelized pear on the nose are balanced by a refreshing minerality, followed by a clean and focused palate with just the right amount of viscosity lingering beneath bracing natural acidity. This might just be the most refreshing icewine out there.”

“The 2021 Riesling Ice Wine is unoaked and comes in with 219 grams of residual sugar, 10.2 of total acidity and 9.5% alcohol. This is from a year that the winery calls "one of the most challenging harvests on record," due to rainfall around harvest time by table wine standards. The Riesling harvest was a couple of months later, in early January 2022. A strict selection caused lower quantities to be produced, although the winery says with "high quality." Indeed, this seems fresh and lively, with a surprisingly perky feel and a juicy finish. It's on the elegant side this year, not necessarily a bad thing, but it still tastes great. It has the freshness to allow it to age well, so there is no rush. I loved the tangy finish. If you must drink it young, you'll get waves of peaches and apricots (leaning more to peach this year), and it will taste great. A few years of age will allow it to develop some character, though.”

“With 245g/L residual sugar at bottling, the aromas erupt from the glass, with notes of marmalade, candied pineapple and sugared citrus rind. Sweet, nectarous, well-balanced tangerine and pineapple flavors follow. It's a perfect end to any evening.”

“The 2019 Gold Vidal Icewine was fermented and aged for about 14 weeks in 90% new French oak. It comes in with 272 grams of residual sugar, 10.5 of total acidity and 10% alcohol. Rich and unctuous, this also has classic aromatics and a certain level of freshness that keeps it from being particularly cloying. This is also completely delicious, with a little of bit of spicy apricots on the mouthwatering finish. The acidity lifts the fruit and allows it to shine through. It's never going to be a nervy wine, but it is not flabby either. If you like stickies, this won't disappoint. It should age very well, acquiring a bit more character along the way. Many will like it the way it is, but it can acquire another dimension in time.”

“This Riesling Icewine offers sweet, honeyed flavors of apple sauce and peach pie, with accents of candied apricots and dried papaya. The acids balance out the sugar, which is finished at 230 g/L.”