Wine for the Masses

Der Eiswein

Have some extra cash and want to impress the ladies (or fellows) with a bit of off-kilter wine knowledge? Grab yourself a bottle of ice wine and head for home!

Ice wine (originally Eiswein in Germany) is a more expensive wine than you usually see in stores. It is usually made from Riesling grapes that tend to lend their name and juices to the Riesling wines that come in lovely blue glass bottles Whereas almost all wines are picked at harvest when they have ripened upon the vines, some grapes are left on until the first hard frost. At this point, the grapes have frozen and are harvested and processed.

Since they grapes are not allowed to thaw, the water crystallizes and the wine is naturally sweeter than a normal pressing would be. However, since the produce levels are lower due to crop rot, birds and fruit falling from the vine, this late season wine is higher priced than most. Ice wine is a very pleasant wine and will make any evening a little bit more special.

Posted by Ben at 10/18/2005 10:58:00 PM