Ice Wine Is A Rare Form Of Wine

Although there are several types of wine that you buy, one of the most unheard of is ice wine. Ice wine is a very rare form of wine, that is produced under certain types of weather conditions. Ice wine is mainly produced in the Pacific Northwest region, where the weather conditions are right.

As ironic as it is, ice wine is produced in very small quantities and the product is extremely rare indeed. Truth be told, there are only a lucky few who are actually able to purchase the wine. Ice wine, due to the scarce amount, can be extremely expensive and out of the price range for many.

Much like the beauty of owning a diamond, ice wine is something that many of us hope and dream to experience at some point in our lives. Although the materials are rare, the weather conditions are even more crucial to producing this wine. Once the right weather conditions arrive, the wine maker prepares to produce this extremely rare and priceless wine.

The basic requirements needed to produce ice wine are fully ripened grapes and a temperature of around 5 degrees C. The temperature needs to stay that way for several days, so that the wine maker can complete the process of making the wine. Grapes that are frozen during these extremely cold temperatures are hand plucked at night by the wine maker and his assistants.

To produce a bottle of ice wine, full vine grapes may be required. Once the grapes have been collected, they are gently pressed, in order to collect the running juice only. The temperature creates the frozen water crystals, which are fermented along with sugars and the particles that are found in the free running juices. Through this process, the wonderful and rare ice wine is created.

If you have been looking to try ice wine, finding it may be very difficult. As you probably already know, most alcohol and wine stores don’t sell this rare wine. Finding it online is very hard as well, unless you catch it at the right time. Even then, if you are able to find it, it can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars for a single bottle.

The best way to experience ice wine is to find the right wine maker in the Pacific Northwest region. Even though bottles go extremely fast once they have been made, you may be able to catch a wine maker with some on hand. Be prepared to spend a hefty amount though. Although it can cost a lot and be extremely hard to find – the taste of ice wine makes it well worth the effort.

Varieties Of Red Wine and White Wine

There are many varieties of red wines and white wines available. Here is a list of wine choices.

Chardonnay – The king of white wines is Chardonnay. It has a vanilla or smoky type aroma and flavor and goes especially well with fish and white meat.

Sauvignon Blanc – Sauvignon Blanc is another popular white wine which gives off herbal or occasional peppery aromas. It has a higher acidity level than the Chardonnay and seafood is a good match for this wine.

Semillon – Semillon is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc to fill out this more acidic variety of white wines. Semillon alone has more subtle aromas and has a relatively low acidity. Its golden color along with the scent of figs and lemons adds to its attractiveness and it goes well with cheese. This is one of the few white wines that age very well.

Riesling – Riesling is an excellent wine to have with food, because of its balance of sugar and acid and its relatively low acidity. It can pair with white fish just like a dry wine, or with pork, and it can also stand up to Thai and Chinese cuisine. Riesling’s typical aromas are of flowers, tropical fruits, and mineral stone. This wine is almost never oaked, which then leads itself to suitability with most foods.

Frascati – “Gold Wine” – Frascati has been called the “Gold Wine” from the ancient Romans, and it was reported to be the favorite wine of Pope Gregorio XVI. Frascati is a vintage wine that is dry, crisp, pale yellow and fresh. It goes very well with soups, seafood, poultry and other light dishes. It is served best cold.

Chenin – Chenin, the best of these wines have generally come from France, where its versatility is exploited to great effect. The sweet wines are among the longest-lasting of all wines, and the great dry white wines of the region are often listed among France’s finest whites.

The Chenin is also the most widely-grown grape in South Africa, accounting for around 30 percent of the country’s vines. The wine made there is generally bland and acidic, often with overtones of grass or green apples. It is for this reason that in the U.S. it often ends up in the generic jug wines of bulk producers as acidity enhancer for high sugar/alcohol blends.

Pouilly-Fuissé – Pouilly-Fuissé is a dry, medium-full bodied, white wine from France. This wine became popular the 1980’s. Sudden demand and supply drove prices up. It then received the complaint of being over priced. This will still be the case today at some times. Pale buttery gold color with a floral and fruity bouquet with hints of honey and hazelnuts with the taste of apples sets this wine apart. Served at 55 degrees Fahrenheit this wine goes well with smoked fish, fish grilled or in a sauce, poultry and white meats, including turkey and pork, creamy cheeses.

Silvaner – Silvaner was the most dominate variety in Germany until approximately the late 1970’s. Originally from Austria, it pairs extremely well with foods that have mild flavors – rice dishes that do not involve a lot of spices, mild chicken dishes, to name a couple. The reason for this is the wine is a very gentle low keyed fruity tasting wine, very light in acid.

Pedro Ximénez – Pedro Ximénez a desert wine from Spain. This wine has a very strong taste of raisins and molasses. A syrupy kind of wine goes very well with coffee or over vanilla ice cream in the summer. Some say this desert wine borders a high end desert Sherry.

Cabernet Sauvignon – Among the red wines Cabernet Sauvignon is always a favorite. It ripens late and is best suited for clay soil and moderate temperatures because it requires a longer season for the grapes to ripen. Accompanied by salmon, trout and other sauce-free meats it is the favorite red wine of many.

Merlot – Merlot is another red wine that has grown in popularity. Its dark color, high alcohol content and full body make this wine very supple and velvety. It has three flavors; the currant and cherry flavor, the more herby style of plum flavoring and the cherry and chocolate flavor. This simple light flavored wine goes well with pates, game, and many casseroles.

Pinot Noir – Pinot Noir is one of the more challenging wines for winemakers, but that is what makes it exceptional. It is lighter in color than either of the other two red wines we have discussed. It is relatively high in alcohol and is medium to high in acidity. Its aroma is one of wilted roses with a hint of cola. It goes particularly well with coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon, rabbit, ham, chicken and steak. In some areas you may pay more for this wine, but it is well worth the price.

Zinfandel – Zinfandel, also known as Zin, is a red-skinned wine grape popular in California because of its intense fruitiness and lush texture. The red grape was extremely popular with home wine makers in the United States during the prohibition. This was due to the very thick skin of the grape. This then made transportation very easy. Typically, Zinfandel tastes of bramble and fresh or fermented red berries. This wine goes well with typical American food- pizza, burgers. It will accent most red sauce meals. It is best served at about 65 degrees.

Chianti – Chianti is Italy’s most famous red wine. Unlike a Cabernet Sauvignon Chianti doesn’t drink well by itself. But when drank with food, it is a very bold wine and goes with just about any food. Chianti’s acidity matches extremely well with acidic foods like tomatoes, rich dishes like braised rabbit and mature cheeses. The aroma is a hint of violet, with a bright ruby red color.

Rioja Red Wine – Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, “Rioja”, is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak ageing. A “crianza” is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which was in oak. “Rioja Reserva” is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, “Rioja Gran Reserva” wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Because of the ageing times the Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessary produced each year. This wine ages well and has a delicate fruity flavor to go well with steak and other heavy foods.

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