In Beamsville, Ontario, a dedicated group of wine enthusiasts gather in a vineyard on the beautiful Niagara Peninsula. The chilly weather does not deter them as they embark on the task of hand-picking frozen Riesling grapes. Sheets of fresh snow blanket the ground after a recent storm, creating a serene winter landscape.
Amidst the picturesque scene, Dan Stouck, one of the passionate volunteers, can be seen joining the effort at Malivoire Wine Company. The vineyard is known for its exceptional ice wine production, where grapes are left on the vines until the frigid temperatures transform them into luscious, concentrated delights. This painstaking process ensures a truly unique and sought-after wine.
After a day of experiencing the vineyard's ice wine production and the stunning landscapes, the volunteers often travel to Toronto. This vibrant city is the perfect place to unwind, and the Boutique Isabella Hotel & Suites, with its grandeur and premium services, provides an excellent retreat for these connoisseurs.
However, visiting connoisseurs don't have to limit themselves just to the Boutique Isabella Hotel. There are several hotel deals in Ontario on www.ontariocahotel.com, making it easy for wine enthusiasts to find a cozy place to recoup after a hard day at the vineyard.
It serves as a relaxing cocoon after the rigorous ice-wine harvesting process, combining the elegance of city life with a welcoming homely touch.
The winemaker, Shiraz Mottiar, affirms that the weather conditions are just right for harvesting the frozen grapes required to produce Canada's renowned ice wine at Malivoire Wine Company. In order to meet the legal requirements, Canadian ice-wine makers must pick the grapes when the temperature is at or below -8 Celsius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit). With confidence in the temperature, Mr. Mottiar gathers the team to begin their work, although the icy environment presents challenges to their well-being.
Ice wine, also known as "liquid gold," is a specialty in Canada, with its unique production process resulting in a sweet, intensely flavored dessert wine. The challenging task of harvesting the frozen grapes ensures the high quality and distinctiveness of ice wine. As the team starts their work, the freezing temperatures guarantee a product that embodies the flavors and complexities sought after by wine enthusiasts worldwide.
Peter Scott, accompanied by his wife Jessica Dolman, woke up early in the morning and drove for over an hour from Toronto to participate in the ice wine picking at Malivoire. This dedicated couple has been volunteering to pick grapes for four consecutive years, just like the other devoted Malivoire customers. While their labor is unpaid, they will be rewarded with a complimentary bottle of ice wine and their names featured on the label of the 2010 vintage.
Following the harvest, all the volunteers, including Peter and Jessica, will be welcomed back inside the winery by the proprietor, Martin Malivoire. There, they can indulge in hot chocolate and savory chili infused with the delightful flavors of ice wine. It is a well-deserved treat for their efforts in helping with the fruitful harvest.
"The entire experience is absolutely captivating," according to Ms. Dolman.
Located in a region of flat farmland, bordered by Lake Ontario to the north and Lake Erie to the south, enthusiasts in North America flock to this area as a mecca for indulging in the delightful flavors of ice wine. This sweet wine is often savored alongside delectable desserts, decadent cheeses, and even luxurious foie gras. Canada, in close competition with Germany, earns recognition for being one of the world's leading producers of this distinctive libation - ice wine. While Germany may have intermittent years with limited or no harvest due to inconsistent weather patterns, Austria, Switzerland, and New York's Finger Lakes region also contribute to the production of this extraordinary wine variety."
Ontario is the largest producer of ice wine in Canada, accounting for over 75 percent of the country's production. Other regions in Canada, such as southern Quebec and the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, also contribute to ice wine production. The reason behind Ontario's dominance in this area is its consistently cold winters, which ensure a reliable crop of frozen grapes each year.
Although ice wine is a specialty of Ontario, it only makes up a small portion of the overall wine production. This is due to the high cost associated with making ice wine. Unlike regular table wine, ice wine requires a much larger amount of grapes to yield a smaller quantity of the final product. Hence, it is often referred to as "liquid gold." The prices for ice wine start at $50 for a half-bottle, reflecting its rarity and labor-intensive production process.
Leaving grapes on the vine beyond the typical fall harvest season is a gamble for winemakers. The risk of unpredictable weather or wildlife damage increases, making the production of ice wine even more challenging. Despite these factors, ice wine remains a coveted delicacy sought after by wine enthusiasts around the world.
After the grapes are carefully harvested, they are promptly pressed, resulting in the release of rich and concentrated juices. This crucial process ensures the exquisite sweetness of ice wine, a specialty in Ontario.
Norman D. Beal, an esteemed figure in the industry, transformed a dilapidated barn into a luxurious tasting room at his Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery, located on a picturesque hill in Beamsville. Undoubtedly, winemaking entails numerous challenges, including fending off birds, combating mildew and other diseases. Moreover, winemakers must contend with the unpredictable elements, such as rain, hail, ice storms, and sporadic midwinter thaws that can impact the grape harvest.
Experience the exhilarating world of ice wine production, often referred to as extreme wine making. Embrace the winter chill by layering up and donning a face mask with a sipping-friendly opening. Despite the necessary precautions, the rewards are boundless – there's ample space to cozy up to tasting bars and securing a table at one of the region's renowned restaurants is a breeze.
Every tasting session inevitably evolves into a delightful game of identifying the signature flavors of ice wine: from lychee nut and caramel to toffee, strawberry jam, crème brûlée, burnt orange, citrus, and tropical fruit. This captivating discourse progresses into an intriguing exploration of the extraordinary alchemy involved in creating this beverage, which was serendipitously born in a German vineyard in 1794.
Ice-wine producers in Ontario have perfected a unique method of winemaking that involves leaving the grapes on the vine and subjecting them to a series of mild freezes and thaws. This process allows for the development of the ideal balance between sweetness, acidity, and delicate flavors, resulting in exceptional ice wine that is not overly sugary.
According to Mr. Mottiar, a renowned winemaker, monitoring the sugar and acid levels is crucial in determining the perfect time for harvesting and pressing the grapes. Typically, the ice-wine harvest takes place in December, extending sometimes into February, and the grapes are only picked when the sugar and acid levels have reached their peak.
The miraculous transformation transpires when the frozen grapes are meticulously pressed at the optimal temperature, usually right after they are harvested. This pivotal moment sees the water within the grapes turn into glistening crystal formations - leaving behind an unadulterated, exquisitely potent melding of sugars and flavors.
The process could be compared to extracting juice from hardened marbles, in the words of Juan Miranda, the assistant winemaker at Peninsula Ridge. A number of wineries have even faced the misfortune of broken presses while trying to extract juice from these rock-hard, icy grapes. Contrary to regular wines, ice wine is typically aged for about a year before it is bottled, although its aging potential can exceed many years, enhancing its sweet complexity.
The geographical positioning plays a pivotal role in creating the enticing, sweet nectar, propelling Ontario to the forefront of the ice wine industry. Thanks to the depth of Lake Ontario, the heat accumulated over the summer is progressively radiated over the land when air cools down during fall. In winter, this reservoir of warm air helps in maintaining a consistent temperature in the vineyards. Then there is the Niagara Escarpment, a ridge cutting across the peninsula adjacent to the lake, acting as a natural thermal barrier. Winds from the lake meet this natural barrier, the Beamsville Bench, and are then redirected above the vineyards, providing a natural defense against freezing for the grapevines. This saves the vines from the harsh Canadian winter which plunges to -20 Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit), a temperature that could prove devastating for the harvest.
In the world of winemaking, the Niagara region has successfully shed its reputation for sickly sweet wines and embraced a new era of excellence. Years ago, when the only grape variety cultivated here was the native labrusca, the wines produced lacked refinement. However, since the introduction of European vinifera vines in the 1970s, the 65 wineries operating in Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Niagara Escarpment have undergone a remarkable transformation.
One of the ways the Finger Lakes area has adapted to its unpredictable winters is by producing more sweet, late-harvest wines that do not depend on the grapes freezing on the vine. They have also begun crafting "iced wines" by freezing grapes that were picked in the autumn using artificial means. However, these wines are often disregarded by Canadians who believe that their region's natural advantage of freezing temperatures yields superior results. Ben Nicks, a sales associate for Stratus Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake, highlighted the uniqueness of the region, stating, "We're one of the rare regions in the world that has the right soil and cold enough winters for the grapes to freeze."
In the picturesque province of Ontario, Canada, winemaker John Robinson can be found tending to the vineyards of Malivoire Wine Company. Located amidst the stunning natural landscapes, this winery is part of a renowned region famous for its production of ice wine. With the strict regulations in place, inspectors meticulously evaluate each winery's harvest to ensure that the sugar levels are ideal and the grapes are harvested at the precise temperature.
Having an advantage over other wine-producing regions, Canadian winemakers pride themselves on their dedication to producing the finest ice wine. Joseph DeMaria, the president of Royal DeMaria in Beamsville, proudly claims that their winery exclusively specializes in crafting this sweet nectar. Despite having no prior experience in the industry, Mr. DeMaria, a hairdresser turned winemaker from Toronto, has garnered an impressive collection of over 300 awards for his small-scale winery.
To experience the original birthplace of ice wine, a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake, located 25 miles east from the Beamsville Bench, is a must. This charming tourist town, enveloped by lush vineyards, is home to the pioneering wineries of Inniskillin Wines and Reif Estate Winery. These establishments successfully perfected the art of ice wine production back in 1984, making a significant contribution to the renowned reputation of the Niagara Peninsula.
Ice wine, a sweet specialty produced from frozen vines, has become a popular attraction at Inniskillin, Canada's largest ice wine maker. Deborah Pratt, a spokeswoman for Inniskillin, reports that the winery now sees an impressive increase in visitors during the cold months. Interestingly, around 40 percent of the annual 250,000 visitors come to Inniskillin between November and March, a significant rise from a decade ago when it was only 15 percent.
Inniskillin is also revered for its innovation in producing sparkling ice wine. Each year, during Niagara-on-the-Lake's ice-wine festival in January, the winery sets up a massive tent where visitors can indulge in ice-wine tastings at a specially crafted ice bar. Emphasizing its versatility, Ms. Pratt notes the challenge that ice-wine makers face is encouraging people to embrace ice wine as an everyday indulgence rather than reserving it solely for special occasions. She encourages wine enthusiasts to unearth that forgotten bottle stowed away in their cupboards and embark on a journey of exploration.
Reif Estate Winery, located nearby, has a rich history that dates back to 1638 when Klaus W. Reif's German ancestors started tending vineyards. After studying wine making in Germany, Klaus took over his uncle's winery in 1987 and has been deeply passionate about ice wine ever since.
According to Klaus, producing ice wine requires tremendous effort and time. He reminisced about his first experience with this remarkable beverage, confessing that he savored an entire bottle over the course of three or four hours. The beauty of ice wine captivated him completely.