Those who’ve tasted Ice Wine know that it’s special. Genuine Ice Wine is not only delicious, it’s unique to climates like ours. Because the grapes must be completely frozen before they can be picked from the vine, cold temperatures are essential for an Ice Wine harvest. This year, that meant planning and postponing the picking five different times, as temperatures kept rising higher than the forecast predictions.
After weeks of watching the weather and waiting, we had the window we needed on the morning of December 14th. With a temperature of 11 degrees, clear skies, and no wind, conditions were perfect for picking. Under a bright crescent moon and a skyful of shooting stars, a group of 40 winery staff and friends headed out to the vineyard before dawn.
Sunrise over the vineyard was spectacular, the fruit was in beautiful condition, and picking lasted until just after 8:30 am.
With picking complete, the grapes were crushed and then pressed multiple times in a process that lasted well into the night. The sweet, concentrated juice that resulted will go through a long, cool fermentation to become the thick, rich, golden wine that will be released in October of 2018.
And following an outstanding fall harvest, our 2017 Ice Wine looks to be outstanding as well…with the highest sugar levels we’ve seen in years.
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Cheers to a special, successful harvest…and to Ice Wine 2017!
