Ice wine is a sweet dessert wine made from grapes frozen on the vine. It originates from Germany and has an alcohol content of 9-12% with significant sugar content of 150-300g/l.
How it is made
Unlike water, sugar and other substances in grapes do not freeze, allowing producers to extract a more concentrated grape must from frozen grapes. This results in a smaller quantity of very sweet wine. The production process is labor-intensive and risky with minimal output, making ice wine significantly more expensive than table wine. It is sold in smaller bottles of 350ml and 200ml.
History
There are indications that frozen grapes were used for wine production by ancient Romans. The first modern ice wine is believed to have been made in Franconia, Germany in 1794. In Canada, Inniskillin winery produced its first ice wine in 1984, though German immigrant Walter Hainle made ice wine in British Columbia as early as 1972.
Types and styles
Ice wine is typically made from Riesling or Vidal Blanc grape varieties. In the US, Canada, Austria and Germany, only grapes frozen naturally can be called 'ice wine' with minimum temperatures of -8°C in Canada and -7°C in Germany. Some producers in warmer countries artificially freeze grapes using cryogenic extraction, creating a cheaper 'freezer wine' product.
How it is served
Ice wine is served as a dessert wine, appreciated for its sweetness and high acidity. Due to its production process and rarity, it is considered a premium wine product often enjoyed in smaller portions.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article Ледяное вино, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.