Wonders of Wine and Food

 Happily, we discover some mince tarts still left from Christmas. So, of course, we had to indulge. The bigger concern was what wine to enjoy with the mince tarts. The obvious answer Icewine,

One of nature's most exquisite gifts. One of the world's most luscious and celebrated wines. It is one of the most difficult and challenging processes for the winemaker. Canada is the world leader in producing amazing Ice Wines. 

Icewine is a rare gift from a magical Canadian winter. Picked at the coldest moment of a winter's night, each frozen grape creates just one drop of Icewine. One smooth rich, luxurious drop.

The first Icewine to appear on the Canadian front was a Riesling, made in British Columbia by Walter Hainle and his son Tilman in 1973. Tilman Hainle and his wife Sandra continued experimenting with Icewines at their Hainle Vineyards in the Okanagan, ultimately producing their first commercial release in 1978. In 1991, other Okanagan winemakers joined in, capitalizing on the early onset of cold temperatures that year and plenty of frozen grapes on the vine. 

The story that leads to Canada been known around the world for its icewine is far more in depth and took the efforts of many to achieve. Perhaps the most important factors is Canada's unique climate. 

History of Canada's Icewine

Icewine must be produced exclusively from grapes that have been harvested, naturally frozen on the vine, and pressed in a continuous process while the air temperature is -8° Celsius (17.6°F) or lower. Icewine grapes are often harvested during the night to guarantee a temperature below -8° Celsius.

The icewine we chose

Rief Estate Vidal Icewine 2017

Wow! A fantastic aroma of tropical fruits with honey and peach. It melts in your mouth with additional fruit flavours. More please! 94