Saturday, May 28, 2011

Canadian “Icewine”

ext: Luong Kim Minh
Photos: Bao Ngoc

Travellive 12/2010 - The career of planting grapes and manufacturing grape wine in Canada is very special. People keep ripe grapes from autumn until the weather turns much colder and freezing. When this occurs, grapes are frozen in the water between -8– 140 Celsius. These frozen grapes are usually harvested at night and considered as precious rubies becathey are materials to made Icewine – a high-ranking and valuable wine. Icewine bottles are smaller than other types but sold at a very high price.

                       
  
Canada is the most famous Icewine manufacturer with an ideal climate, but the first Ice wine is thought to have been made accidentally in German. It is said that a gardener could not harvest his ripe grapes becahe was away from home. When he came home, his grapes were frozen. When these grapes were made into wine, he found out that it had a spectacular and unique taste. Icewines have higher natural acidity, making them less cloying on the palate and better food matches. German people called them Eiswen or Icewine in English.

                      

The best bottles of Ice wine are made in distilleries by the impetuous Niagara Falls. The Icewine must meet strict standards and undergo complete laboratory and taste testing to earn the VQA (Appellation of Origin system) before being sold. The grape harvest is  also based on strict standards. They are reaped right when there is a balance in sugar and acid level in grapes. In fact, only about 50% of the grapes are harvested. After the crop, the amount of grapes used for distilling is actually small.

                     

Icewine is ranked as a dessert wine and served with liver pâté, cheese or fresh fruits (less sweet than that of the wine). The passionate flavor of this wine makes parties more luxurious and refined as the way they create it.

Further information

- In the middle of January, Icewine Niagara (Canada) festival is held for 3 weeks, attracting thousands of visitors every year. For further information, please visit http://www.icewinefestival.com.
- Some popular Canadian Icewines in Vietnam: Inniskillin, Pillitter and Strewn Wine.
- Some distributors of Canadian Icewine: Tan Khoa company, The Ware Hoand Vine Group.

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