Peller Estate Riesling Icewine

Icewine is a rare dessert wine produced from the juice of naturally frozen grapes that have been picked in the middle of a cold Canadian winter.  At 43 degrees, the Niagara Peninsula is within the same latitudinal range as South France, Rioja in Spain, Chianti Clasico in Italy and Oregon in the USA.  The Niagara peninsula is the only place in the world where every single year the summers are so warm that fine wine grapes can be grown, but the winters are cold enought to make Icewine but never so cold that the vines do not survive.  The grapes are picked at temperatures at least -10C, with the grapes frozen on the vine and hand-picked in the middle of the cold Canadian night.  Once picked, the grapes are pressed immediately while still frozen.  Each frozen grape yields just one drop of intensely frozen juice.  Icewine is very different from other dessert wines because prior to being picked in late December, the grapes freeze and then thaw 8 to 10 times.  Each time they freeze, new and more complex flavours are released in to thejuice from the grape.  A great Icewine has balancing tension between sweetness and acidity.  Made from 100% Riesling it is fermented and aged at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks for optimum fruit concentration.  This wine has notes of ripe peach marmalade, layers of sweet and fresh tropical fruit, honey and hints of white paper.  The flavours are an explosion of pineapple, apricot, floral honey, oranges and cardamon spice with lemon drops and spicy oak to harmonise the long finish.