Fitness
Everything You Need to Know About Ice Wine—Plus 3 to Try Now
Just hear us out. Even if you don’t love sweet wines, ice wine warrants some attention—or at least a chance. It’s more nuanced than other dessert wines you’ve tried in the past and sommeliers are sweet on it because, they say, the juice is one of Mother Nature’s most beguiling acts. The grapes get extra hang time on the vines and are left to freeze before they’re harvested in the dead of winter. This produces a far more concentrated juice for fermentation, says Gianni Cavicchi, the sommelier of One19 Wine Bar + Food in New York City. The result is a sweet wine, he says, but one that’s balanced with tartness, viscous in texture, and rich.
“Ice wines are a winter miracle,” Cavicchi says. “An ice wine vintage can occur naturally only when the conditions are perfect.” Whether it was a mistake or a crazy idea, he credits the Germans, who in the 1700s harvested grapes in freezing temperatures before dawn. Here’s a quick primer on this worthy winter wine, plus some sommelier-approved bottles to try at home.
How Ice Wine is Made
Making ice wine is a patient process. The grapes are left on the vine and harvested as early as November and as late as February. “When they freeze, the water inside the grape freezes, but the sugars do not,” says Gary Schueller, a wine buyer and founder of advisory practice Subterranean who holds a WSET (Level 3) Advanced Certificate. “So when the winemaker presses the grapes, the sugars are very concentrated,” Schueller explains—and the resulting juice is mighty sweet.
Canada, which is the largest producer of ice wine, even has laws that stipulate the temperature at which the grapes may be harvested and pressed. While the regulations state the temperatures must be as cold as –8 degrees Celsius (or 17.6 degrees Fahrenheit) many wine producers wait for the mercury to drop to –10 Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) or even lower before harvesting and pressing grapes. Because the conditions need to be just right, there’s no promise of a successful harvest each year.
“All the grapes are picked by hand to ensure only the best and most healthy fruit is used and a large labor force is required to pick the whole crop within a few hours while the weather is cold enough,” says Master Sommelier Juan Gomez of The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida.
It requires four to five times the amount of grapes to make a half-bottle of ice wine than it does to make a traditional 750 mL bottle, Gomez adds.
What It Tastes Like
Unlike other sweet wines which are often made by fortification (i.e. adding a brandy) or drying the grapes after they’re harvested, ice wine occurs entirely naturally.
“While ice wine is irrefutably sweet, it offers up a spectrum of flavors from ripe mango and tropical fruits to juicy nectarines, honey, and more,” says Schueller. “Ironically, many of its flavor markers are associated with tropical climates—when the places where ice wine grows are anything but tropical.”
While the style we see most in North America is a still white wine made from Vidal grapes in Ontario, ice wine is actually made in a wide variety of styles (white, rosé, red and sparkling), and from a wide variety of regional grapes, says Mya Brown, wine director at the award-winning Botanist restaurant in Vancouver.
“The most important element in any wine is balance,” Brown says. “And with a sweet wine, that balance comes from acidity. Look for ice wines made with naturally high acid grapes like Riesling to find an ice wine that feels sweet, but not cloyingly so.”
When to Serve Ice Wine
Ice wines are typically enjoyed as an aperitif or as a dessert, and should be served chilled at 54 to 56 degrees. If you’re feeling adventurous, it can also be served as a fantastic cocktail ingredient.
The best accompaniments compliment the delicate notes of the wine: fresh fruit, full-flavored soft cheeses, or blue veined cheese like Stilton, notes Brown. Red ice wines pair brilliantly with chocolate or spiced nuts.
Tips for Buying Ice Wines
As you delve into the world of ice wine, here are some expert-approved tips to help you find the right bottle.
- Ice wines are generally lower in alcohol than other wines, typically starting around 6.5% to 11.5%, says wine educator Ami Gangemella. When you’re shopping for ice wine, you’ll notice the bottles are smaller in volume and often taller and thinner.
- Ice wines are very reliable and dependable and rarely have bad vintages, according to Cavicchi. “If you find one you love, become a member of the winery’s wine club to get the best access,” he recommends.
- White varieties are far more prevalent in ice wine. Vidal and Riesling are perfect places to start and among the most common—but the red varieties are worth seeking out. “You’ll be wowed trying cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and even zweigelt expressions of ice wine,” Schueller says.
- Producing ice wine is a costly endeavor. Because of this, most ice wine is packaged in 375ml “half bottles.” Expect to pay between $50 to $65 or more for a good bottle.
A Few Ice Wines to Try
Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine Courtesy Image
1. Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine
This wine comes from an estate in Ontario, Canada that’s widely considered by wine types as the gold standard for ice wine production. “Winemaker Bruce Nicholson is a virtuoso with frozen grapes, coaxing impossibly complex flavor profiles,” says Schueller. It’s extremely generous bouquet of fruits vicariously transports the drinker from tropical mango groves to the orange orchards of Seville. Enjoy it at home with a rich blue cheese and orchard fruits. “It also pair very well with fruit-based desserts like banana pudding or peach cobbler,” Schueller suggests.
[$55; totalwine.com]
2. Boundary Breaks Riesling Ice Wine
From the shores of New York’s Seneca Lake, this earthier, more honeyed expression of ice wine is brimming with pineapple, peach, apricot, and mango notes, Schueller says. It also has a baking spice aspect you might pick up on. “It is an undeniably hedonistic experience but also is a well-balanced wine with racy acidity that keeps the sweetness in check and prevents it from becoming overly cloying,” he says. He recommends pairing it with pineapple cake, creamy cheeses, or rich foods like pate.
[From $51; wine-searcher.com]
Leduc Piedimonte Ice Cider Courtesy Image
3. Leduc Piedimonte Ice Cider
Ice apple wines—or ice ciders from Quebec (often called “Cidre de Glace”)—have very similar characteristics to traditional ice wines and have beaten them out in competitions. “These are definitely worth seeking out too,” Cavicchi says. Using overripe apples, these sweet wines are a great pairing with cheeses or citrus desserts. Taking advantage of Quebec’s frigid temps and abundance of apples, this Leduc Piedimonte Ice Cider has notes of tangerine and orange zest, and is a tad bitter.
[$38; thewhiskeyexchange.com]
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The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
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