THE MAKING OF Icewine – IF THE GRAPES ARE FROZEN, HOW DO YOU GET JUICE?
At -8° Celsius the grapes are frozen as hard as marbles. Still frozen, they are pressed and the water is extracted as crystals of ice. Left behind is a super-concentrated nectar, high in acids, sugars and aroma. In a way, it’s the reverse of a distillation process where water is removed by heat. Here, it’s removed by cold. The effect of concentrating the flavours is the same. The remaining juice settles for three or four days and is clarified by racking to the fermentation tank. The juice then starts the fermentation process, which can last three to four months. STORING – THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK OF KEEPING SOME AROUND THE HOUSE. With good storage practice common to most wines, away from light, on the side, in a cool place, and away from vibrations, Icewine can keep for 10 years or more. Once your Icewine is open, you have three to five days to get to the bottom of it. If you have six or so people on hand, you should be able to finish a bottle without too much trouble. Like all wines, Icewi
