Ice wine or Eiswein is a German tradition, which started about 200 years ago. This presented ice wine is very special from Canada. Hainle Vineyards has a special place in Canada's ice wine history, being the first ice wine producer in North America. The Hainle family made the first ice wine in Canada in 1972, and has made it every year since, with three exceptions, 1998, 1999 and 2002. Ice wine is made from grapes, which are left on the vines until the first deep frost (at least -8°C) of the year. The grapes must be picked, crushed and pressed while still frozen. The grapes, having been left on the vine for longer than the usual harvest, are very sweet. Only the water in the juice freezes, and all that comes out of the press is a very sweet and concentrated juice in a very small volume. Left behind in the press are the skins and a block of ice. In 2004, Riesling grapes were used for our ice wine along with 15% Traminer grapes for added complexity. The grapes were picked on December 12, 2004 in our own Peachland vineyards, at -19 degrees Celsius. No insecticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers are used in the vineyard, and the only spray used is elemental sulfur to control powdery mildew and soap to control leafhoppers. The sugar content of the grapes at harvest was 50.0% (grapes for regular table wines are usually picked at between 19 and 22% sugar). The grapes were affected by botrytis or “noble rot”. These grapes yielded enough juice to produce about 250 cases (200ml) of wine. The wine was fermented in glass containers with Saccharomyces Bayanus Champagne yeast, which has high tolerance for sugar and alcohol. No sulfite was added before or during fermentation. The juice was allowed to fully ferment at normal cellar temperatures; fermentation took about 4 months. The 2004 vintage has 105g/l of residual sugar (a 10 on the sweetness scale), and contains 12.9% alcohol. The wine has a golden straw color, aromas of candied sugar and apricots, and a lively acidity (11 g/l). The finish is very long and intense, revealing deeper fruit tones and hints of nuttiness. It is best enjoyed in small servings on its own, or matched with fruits, nuts or cheese-based desserts which are not overwhelmingly sweet. Try it with baked brie with a drizzle of honey glaze or a caramelized nut tarts. This wine has won many international gold medals and is fully certified organic.

• Country of origin: Canada.
• Region: British Columbia.
• Grape varietal: Riesling.
• Alcohol % by volume: 12.9%.
• Capacity: 200ml.
• Vintage year: 2004.
• Name of chateau: Hainle Vineyards Estate.