Ice wine

Ice wine is of unique taste that is obtained by harvesting and pressing frozen grapes at a temperature of at least -7°C.

Ice wine (Eiswein or ice wine) is aromatic wine of yellow amber colour, rich bouquet and specific sweet-sour flavour and is traditionally made by harvesting and pressing frozen grapes at a temperature of at least -7°C, and contains at least 127° Oechsle (amount of must sugar).

Frozen grapes are harvested very carefully, exclusively by hand, at early dawn while it is still dark because the harvest must be finished before sun rise.

Because of its specificity ice wine is very rare wine and belongs to top predicate wines. Ice wine is obtained exclusively from grapes of recommended varieties, which ripens in exceptional years and in exceptional conditions and is harvested and processed in a specific way.

As climatic conditions, and not the varieties, are crucial for ice wine, many cultivars are suitable for its production. Next to grashevina and riesling, which can best endure the delayed harvest, traminac, pinot, chardonnay and sauvignon are also suitable for ice wine.

Furthermore, predicate wines, as well as ice wines are not made every season but every three to four years, while those of exceptional quality are made only every five to ten years.

Due to their production, small quantity and slow ripening, the quality of ice wines is exceptional and generally they are very expensive.  Their price is around 100 Euro, while the exceptional ice wine is sold exclusively through auctions where even those which are younger than the usual 30 to 50 years (ice wines last extremely long!) achieve dizzying prices. For example, ice wine made from 1992 riesling was auctioned for the price of then 2600 German DEM!

The highest quality, most valued and, of course, the most expensive ice wines have been made in two countries with centuries of tradition - Austria and Germany,  and Canada, the country with long and sharp winters. But, no doubt, quality ice wines also come from Italy, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia. Ice wines are produced in Croatia, too, and particularly valued are those from Slavonia and Međimuje vineyards.

History of ice wine

The vine has been present for millions of years, and wine has a several millennia long history. Grape seeds were found in sediments that date back to 80 million years BC, and man tasted grapes from his very beginnings, while still in the Stone Age.

Wine was produced in all ancient cultures such as Mesopotamia and Egypt, where, beside beer, which "flowed in streams", there was no lack of wine. In Far East, China, remains of 9000 years old beverage was found which was made not only from rice and honey, but also from grape sugar, while viticulture developed around 3000 year BC.

Viticulture and wine trade were blossoming in ancient Greece and later the Romans took it over. Thanks to them, some 2000 years ago, wine became present in the areas of today's Austria and Germany, the area of crucial importance for exceptional and rare ice wine.

From the very beginning viticulture was in the domain of the clergy and monasteries. In the 8th century Charles the Great prescribed planting vines, grapes processing and wine trade.  Although we cannot determine with certainty who and when started producing ice wine in those areas, some believe that the beginning is linked to the area of Austria and dates from the 12th century and Germany until the late 18th century.

Although there are many local legends, one of them mentions the beginning of ice wine production in late 18th century, more precisely in the fall of 1794 in one of many vineyards in Frankish realm. That year winter came much earlier than usual and all grapes in that area were frozen. Although quite surprised and confused by the caprice nature prepared for them, rural labourers didn't give up the planned autumn harvest in the new winter conditions. They carefully picked grapes and pressed it while they were still frozen and thus made history by discovering a way of getting extraordinary ice wine.

Production of ice wine

Ice wine is aromatic wine, of yellow amber colour, rich bouquet made by harvesting frozen grapes at the temperature of at least -7°C.

Even today, ice wine is made in traditional way which involves long and highly risky process in specific macro and micro climatic conditions. Grapes are not harvested in normal harvest time, but are left hanging on vines until winter so they get frozen. Grapes must be preserved during harvest which is one of basic preconditions for ice wine.

Immediately after being harvested the grapes are pressed slowly and carefully while still frozen, when ice crystals of frozen water remain in solid form in the press not entering the must. Slowly, drop by drop, like thick honey, only very concentrated juice passes through. Naturally, frozen grapes can give small amounts of must, but it is very concentrated.

Sticky, thick, aromatic and sweet grape juice that contains a high proportion of concentrated sugar, fruit acids and various fruit flavours slowly and naturally ferment into extraordinary aromatic ice wine. Ice wine is then left to mature in bottles and the optimal maturity is achieved only after three to five years.