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Friday, December 9, 2016

Friend's Friday - Wine Tasting



While in Toronto a few weeks back I visited the Reif Estate Winery, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario. The tasting room was beautiful as well the entrance to the property.  Everyone there was friendly and took pride in explaining the wines tasted and their specialty "Icewine". A wine I was not at all familiar. Icewine is a desert wine that I totally enjoyed.  My sweet-tooth went into overdrive.  Icewine taste like no other wine.  

From what I learned that day - Icewine is traditionally served in a smaller dessert wine glass but can be enjoyed in a white wine glass; both will showcase all of its wonderful aromas. As they explained, Icewine pairs well with almost any dessert or can be poured on fresh berries or ice cream for the perfect treat. It is delicious!  

This is how Reif's website explains how it is made:
The grapes for Icewine are picked in winter at temperatures of at least -8˚C so that only the highly concentrated juice is pressed from the frozen berries, leaving behind the icy water crystals. The result of these unique climatic conditions is a deliciously sweet wine with exceptional high concentration of sugars, acids and extracts from the grapes with intense flavours and aromas. Although Icewine was first produced in Germany in 1794 Canada is now the largest and best producer of Icewine.

My guess it was discovered many centuries ago by total accident one morning when the grape pickers were surprised by a sudden overnight freeze. This is a story totally made up by me, but if there is any truth, What a wonderful mistake.  I only wish they shipped to the US.  Thank you Ron for this wonderful treat as well many others that weekend. 






Reif Estate Winery - A beautiful video
  









A cool day at the Winery - Love the fall colors
This photo was shot just outside the winery's tasting room.  

1 comment:

  1. THere are a number of upstate New York wineries that produce ice wine. It is a good addition to the wine cellar.

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