What Is Ice Wine and How Is It Produced?

With over two decades working in accounting and three decades of business management experience, Andrew Sommerhalder has served as CFO and controller of several Canadian businesses, such as Hedy Canada & GS Medical Packaging and Apotheceutics. In his free time, Andrew Sommerhalder enjoys traveling and tasting new wines.

Canada is known for the high quality of its still and sparkling wines. However, the country is especially famous for its ice wine, a dessert wine made from frozen grapes. Besides Canada, ice wine is produced in Germany, Austria, China, and some US regions, such as the upper Midwest and the Finger Lakes.

Ice wine is characterized by its sweetness and richness, as well as by its complex production process. Instead of being harvested in early autumn, the grapes for ice wine are picked at the height of winter, when they are frozen. This approach intends to harvest the grapes with a naturally high sugar level, since the grapes have more time to mature. They are crushed while still frozen, and the ice crystals are removed, leaving very little water. To prevent the ice from melting before processing, the workers harvest them in the middle of the night.

Typically, ice wine is sold in half-size bottles and for higher prices than regular wine. It is lower in alcohol, like other dessert varieties, and features notes of honey and various fruits.