Icewine gets its name from the German "Eiswein" and is made by leaving grapes on the vine and waiting for a freeze before harvesting. Because of the rare climate needed to make icewine, only a few countries produce it, with Canada, Germany and Austria among them. In the U.S., icewine is still relatively unknown but its novelty and crisp ripe flavors make it well worth a try.
Instructions
1. Buy a bottle of wine either online or from a high-quality liquor store. Shop around and buy icewine according to your preferred grape variety or by budget. You can expect to pay around 20 to 80 dollars for a bottle, but rare varieties can sell for hundreds.
2. Choose the right glass. Icewine is best served in a large wine glass, as like regular wines it needs to be exposed to the air to fully release all the flavors. Chill your glasses beforehand but never serve with ice as this can taint the flavor as it melts.
3. Pair your icewine with the right food. As a sweet wine, it is an ideal accompaniment to creamy desserts such as meringue and mousse or with fresh fruit. Icewine can be drunk by itself but does not compliment heavy entrees well.
4. Serve chilled but not freezing. The ideal temperature to drink icewine is around 12 degrees so always keep it refrigerated. A bottle will last 3 to 5 days if kept at a low temperature.
5. Try different varieties. The most popular grapes for icewine are probably Riesling or Vidal. Different grapes will compliment different food groups, and many bottles come with recommendations.
Tags:
