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- Farmalance - 02-20-2004
Man I feel like an information sponge now that I've started this journey. Trouble is I need to keep drinking the stuff to verify my conclusions!!!
Anyway... what is Ice Wine and also what is the significance of Cool Climate Viticulture as compared to any other sort?
Cheers
Lance
- Kcwhippet - 02-20-2004
Ice wine is made from grapes that have been allowed to freeze on the vines, which concentrates the crush juice thus leaving the resulting wine with quite a bit of residual suger when fermentation stops. There should be enough acidity to keep the wine from tasting like sugar syrup. Foodie should weigh in about Cool Climate Viticulture, having been a winemaker in upstate New York.
- Thomas - 02-20-2004
The significance of cool climate? Hmmmm. This is an age-old debate.
My view is that cool climate winemaking offers the most interesting (often, the most delicate and refined) kind of wine. The reason: the winemaker is working with less intensity (ripeness) and more subtlety and nuance. Also, balancing normally high acids in cool climates with lower sugars is a true skill, and that is where knowing the nuances and various fruit structures of grape varieties comes into play.
As for food--it is arguably to the cool climates we should turn for the more food-friendly nectar...