Ice wine is a new way of enjoying wine.
In some regions overseas, it is already recognized as a special wine and has received quite high praise.
Although,
“What is ice wine?”
"What does ice wine taste like?"
Many people may have questions like this.
It is not yet widely used in Japan, so there are very limited opportunities to find out information about it.
In this article, we will provide an overview of ice wine and explain recommended brands.
Please feel free to use it as a reference.
What kind of alcohol is ice wine?
Ice wine is a general term for wine made using frozen grapes.
This is by no means a "frozen wine".
Ice wine is characterized by its special taste, which is created by freezing grapes.
Frozen grapes have more concentrated flavor and sweetness than grapes that are not frozen.
On the other hand, the water content is low, so the flavor and taste are rich and rich.
Ice wine made from such ``frozen grapes'' has a truly first-class taste.
The aroma, richness, flavor, and sweetness have been improved, and many sommeliers are impressed.
There are many people who praise Icewine as a ``miracle wine.''
It is also important that the sweetness becomes particularly strong.
Therefore, ice wine basically falls into the category of ``extremely sweet''.
Because of this characteristic, it is mostly drunk as a dessert wine.
Noble rot wine is generally known as a dessert wine.
However, ice wine also has potential that is comparable to noble rot wine.
What is the difference between noble rot wine and ice wine?
Icewine is often compared to noble rot wine, with which it shares many of its characteristics.
Although the two certainly have some similarities, their tastes are quite different.
in particular,
- Ice wine has a slightly lighter taste and a refreshing sweetness.
- Noble rot wine has a heavy attack, with a strong sweetness and stickiness similar to maple syrup.
There is a difference.
This is not to say that one is inferior to the other; each has its own unique charm.
It might be a good idea to compare and see which one matches your tastes.
However, it seems that icewine is generally considered to be easier to drink as it has less flavor.
Additionally, the manufacturing method is also completely different.
As mentioned above, icewine is produced using frozen grapes.
On the other hand, noble rot wine is wine that is produced by intentionally generating noble rot fungi.
The way they are made is very different, and this is reflected in the taste, appearance, and aroma.
What is the miraculous episode that led to the creation of Icewine?
By the way, the discovery of ice wine was a bit of a coincidence.
In the 1890s, the Flaconian region of Germany was struck by extremely cold weather.
The grapes were exposed to temperatures well below freezing and froze completely.
Naturally, the winery wanted to dispose of the frozen grapes.
However, when he tried making wine with frozen grapes, he was surprised at how delicious the wine was.
After that, it was discovered that ``wine made from frozen grapes (icewine) is very delicious,'' and it began to be produced outside Germany.
Currently, it is mainly produced in Germany, Canada, and Austria, regions where grapes can freeze easily.
By the way, only wine produced in the three countries mentioned above can be called "Icewine".
Even if it's made in another country, it's not technically icewine.
From this area, you can see the commitment and pride of the wineries in maintaining the high quality and dignity of their ice wine.
A delicious way to drink ice wine
Next, let's explain how to enjoy ice wine.
Basically, it is better not to cool it down too much.
This is because you won't be able to fully experience the sweetness that ice wine has.
The optimum temperature for ice wine is said to be approximately 5 to 10 degrees.
In other words, it's not something you can take out of the refrigerator or wine cooler and drink right away.
If you have a winery that can adjust the temperature to the right temperature, use it.
If you don't have one, just take it out of the refrigerator or wine cooler and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour.
In most cases, this will reach the right temperature for your icewine.
The best glass is a so-called flute glass.
The aroma stays in the glass, allowing you to fully enjoy the flavor and flavor.
It may be a pain to prepare a flute glass, but it is definitely worth using to appreciate the true value of ice wine.
What is icewine and how is it made?
Making icewine requires a great deal of effort and ingenuity that is not found in standard wine, making it no mean feat to produce.
Grapes for ice wine are generally picked between December and February.
Grapes at this time of year are good prey for birds.
Therefore, it is necessary to protect the vines by taking measures against birds.
It is also difficult to actually pick the grapes.
Grapes are quickly harvested from late at night until early in the morning, when the temperature is -8 degrees Celsius.
It is difficult to pick frozen grapes in extremely cold weather.
Once the harvest is complete, the grapes are squeezed and the juice is collected.
Ice wine is made by fermenting the fruit juice.
By the way, only a small amount of juice can be extracted from frozen grapes.
It is said that if you can squeeze one glass out of one bunch, that's a lot.
The fruit juice that makes icewine is extremely valuable.
Another factor that makes production difficult is that there are cases where grapes do not grow properly.
As you know, grapes are not cold-resistant fruits.
Depending on the variety or individual, they may not be able to withstand the cold and may stop growing.
On the other hand, due to the warm winter, there may be cases where the grapes do not freeze in the first place.
In order to maintain the taste of ice wine, which is said to be a miracle, it is necessary to withstand the harsh cold and also to be fast.
Furthermore, it depends on the weather, temperature, and the cold resistance of the grapes themselves, so things don't always go as planned.
Making wine is already difficult, but the effort involved in making ice wine can be described as exceeding that.
However, it is the efforts of wineries such as those mentioned above that lead to the deliciousness of ice wine.
In other words, ``Icewine has great value that is worth all the trouble.''
3 recommended ice wines
Icewine is a very attractive "wine of the new era".
Of course, regular wine is delicious, but you should definitely try ice wine, which continues to amaze many people.
However, there are many people who don't know which brand of ice wine to choose.
After all, ice wine has only been known for a short time, so there isn't much information out there.
The reality is that searching on the web is not very helpful.
Below, we will introduce seven carefully selected ice wines that we can especially recommend.
Please feel free to use it as a reference.
Selbach Oster/Zeltinger Himmelreich
Selbach Oster is sent from Germany, the birthplace of ice wine.
It is also known as the representative brand of Mosel.
Manufactured by the prestigious "Selbach" with a history of 350 years, the quality is first class.
The fruit flavor is clear and the acidity is elegant.
It can be said to be an excellent icewine with no flaws.
| price | 12,760 yen |
| Producing area | Germany/Selbach Oster |
| color type | White wine |
| Internal capacity | 375ml |
Eroica/Riesling Ice Wine
Eroica's ice wine has a beautiful bottle with a pop design.
Despite its appearance and color, it is very easy to drink.
The distinct apricot-like sweetness conveys elegance and elegance.
The aromatic flavor of Riesling is also characteristic, and is sure to create an elegant atmosphere.
It falls into the category of being very easy to drink, making it a bottle that even wine beginners can enjoy.
| price | 7,579 yen |
| Producing area | America/Washington |
| color type | White wine |
| Internal capacity | 375ml |
Gruber/ Chardonnay Eiswein (SC)
This is a wine that originates from Austria and is well known for its ice wine.
The result is a slightly unusual ice wine packed with flavors such as banana and pineapple.
You can also feel the flavor of honey, and the taste is full of sweetness.
As a dessert wine, this is the perfect wine.
Thanks to its pop flavor, it should be easy to drink even for beginners.
The price is 3,200 yen per bottle, which makes it quite easy to obtain.
| price | 3,200 yen |
| Producing area | Austria/Lower Austria |
| color type | White wine |
| Internal capacity | 375ml |
Summary: Try ice wine
When making wine, there is generally no step involved in freezing the grapes.
There were things like ``peeling'' and ``blending,'' but there was no winery that ``frozen'' wine.
If a winery were to actively freeze grapes, it would have been met with cold eyes from those around them.
However, by chance, the grapes froze, and from there, ``ice wine'' was born.
This is a ``miracle wine'' created by chance.
Even if you are used to standard wine, please give icewine a try.
