Geography: Lake Okanagan, at 144 kilometres long and 3.5 kilometres average width, is the source of much-needed water for irrigation for vines in the Okanagan Valley.

Vinifera: A species of grape–Vitis Vinifera–that produces the classic wine grapes that have spread from the vineyards of Europe.*

Viticulture: Grapes for Icewine are harvested at -8° Celsius or lower, and often by moonlight.

Labrusca: A family of grapes – Vitis Labrusca – native to North America.*

Varietals: 49% of British Columbia’s wines are white. 51% are red. In the last acreage survey conducted, 97.1% of the yield was from vinifera grapes and 2.9% from hybrids.


*Schreiner, John - British Columbia Wine Country, Whitecap Books Ltd., 2003

  
 
A SHORT HISTORY.
 

The folklore of Icewine suggests that its first production in 18th century Germany was accidental. A German vineyard owner away from his vineyard on business at harvest time came home to a frozen vineyard. He harvested and processed the grapes anyway and what was then called Winter Wine was born. A happy accident. 

Icewine, or Eiswein in German, was long kept a German secret and consumed primarily in Germany. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that production began to spread across Europe.

In Canada, Hainle Vineyards and Estate Winery at Peachland produced the country's first Icewine in 1974. Icewine is now produced by many British Columbia wineries predominantly located in the Okanagan Valley where the winters are cold enough to fulfill the exacting growing standards. Canada is now recognized as the world leader in Icewine production.
PRODUCTION STANDARDS – HARVESTING THE LITTLE FROZEN MARBLES FROM THE VINE.
 

In Canada, the growing conditions and production standards that produce Icewine are rigorously protected by the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA)—an internationally recognized program that defines and mandates standards for wine and wine certification.

Icewine must be produced exclusively from grapes that have been harvested, naturally frozen on the vine, and pressed in a continuous process while the air temperature is -8° Celsius (17.6°F) or lower. Icewine grapes are often harvested during the night \ to guarantee a temperature below -8° Celsius.

Through its Icewine reporting line, or “Coldline,” the British Columbia Wine Institute verifies the temperature under which all BC VQA Icewine is harvested and processed. 

Icewine must be made of grapes pressed within the recognized Viticultural Area in which the grapes were grown and meet the requirements of a varietal wine.

The grapes, juice, must or wine may not be artificially refrigerated at any point in the manufacturing process, except for tank cooling during fermentation and/or during cold stabilization prior to bottling.

After each pressing, the resulting juice achieves a minimum of 32 degrees Brix, when measured after transfer to the fermentation vessel. Brix is a measure of sugar in grapes: one degree Brix equals 18 grams of sugar per litre. Mature non-Icewine grapes are typically 21 to 25 Brix. The finished Icewine is produced from a must that achieved a computed average of not less than 35 degrees Brix. 

Icewine must have residual sugar at bottling not less than 100 grams per litre, and the residual sugar and the actual alcohol results exclusively from the natural sugar of the grapes. Sweet reserve may not be added.

The Viticultural Area within which the grapes were grown must be declared on the principal display panel of the wine.
COUNTERFEIT – IF IT SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS.
  Because of its rigorous production standards and low yields, Icewine is expensive and in limited supply. There are numerous fake icewines available, particularly in Asia. Currently, there is no control over fake production. Buy your Icewine from a reputable retailer and look for the VQA designation, especially if you are purchasing it overseas. A label free of spelling mistakes is often a good sign too.

Please scroll below to view a listing of BC VQA certified Icewine producers.
THE MAKING OF Icewine – IF THE GRAPES ARE FROZEN, HOW DO YOU GET JUICE?
 

At -8° Celsius the grapes are frozen as hard as marbles. Still frozen, they are pressed and the water is extracted as crystals of ice. Left behind is a super-concentrated nectar, high in acids, sugars and aroma. 

In a way, it’s the reverse of a distillation process where water is removed by heat. Here, it’s removed by cold. The effect of concentrating the flavours is the same. 

The remaining juice settles for three or four days and is clarified by racking to the fermentation tank. The juice then starts the fermentation process, which can last three to four months.
STORING – THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK OF KEEPING SOME AROUND THE HOUSE.
 

With good storage practice common to most wines, away from light, on the side, in a cool place, and away from vibrations, Icewine can keep for 10 years or more.

Once your Icewine is open, you have three to five days to get to the bottom of it. If you have six or so people on hand, you should be able to finish a bottle without too much trouble. Like all wines, Icewine oxidizes slowly after opening.
SERVING – I’VE GOT IT. WHAT DO I DO WITH IT?
  Chill your Icewine for an hour or so.  Ideal serving temperature is 5-7 degrees Celsius. Serve roughly 2oz pours in small wine, sherry or liqueur glasses. There are glasses specifically designed for Icewine if you really like to do things right.
PAIRING – WHAT TO HAVE FOR DESSERT WHEN THE WINE YOU'RE DRINKING TASTES LIKE ONE.
 

Icewine is perfect savoured all by itself. If you’d like to pair one with food, a good rule of thumb is not to pair it with anything sweeter than the Icewine itself. 

Try out your pairings in advance. Some strong cheeses work. Many chocolate-based desserts will overwhelm Icewine. Try nuts, tropical fruit, kiwi, pear and apple-based desserts. Your pairing choice will also vary greatly based on the varietal of your Icewine. 

Also, try to think beyond dessert - try Icewine with foie gras or a rich pâté – it is similar to the classic French pairing of Sauternes and foie gras. 

Just remember the rule of thumb, experiment and enjoy yourself. You’re drinking Icewine. Not doing taxes.
BUYING – GETTING YOUR HANDS ON THE RAREST OF BC'S RARE WINES.
 

Many of the Wines of British Columbia wineries sell Icewine directly from their websites. Some shipping restrictions may apply internationally. 

BC VQA Stores also stock and sell a wide variety of icewines. Find the store nearest you. 

Internationally, British Columbia Icewine is available at select fine wine importers. Another good bet is to visit your local international airport. Icewine is often available in duty-free shops around the world and you can virtually guarantee that it’s the real thing.
BC VQA Certified Icewine Producers
 

2008 Vintage

Blossom Winery
Chandra Estate Winery
Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery
Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate
K Mountain Vineyards
Kalala Organic Estate Winery
Little Straw Vineyards Estate Winery
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Mount Boucherie Estate Winery
Nk'Mip Cellars
Paradise Ranch Wines
Peller Estates
Quails' Gate Estate Winery
Rollingdale Winery
See Ya Later Ranch
Soaring Eagle Estate Winery
Sonoran Estate Winery
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
Willow Hill Wines

2007 Vintage

Calona Vineyards
Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery
Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Nk'Mip Cellars
Paradise Ranch Wines
Peller Estates
Pentage Wines
Quails' Gate Estate Winery
Rollingdale Winery
See Ya Later Ranch (Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards)
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Tantalus Vineyards
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

2006 Vintage

Blossom Winery
Calona Vineyards
Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery
Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery
Granite Creek Estate Wines
Hainle Vineyards & Deep Creek Wine Estate
Hawthorne Mountain
Hester Creek Estate Winery
Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate
Little Straw Vineyards Estate Winery
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Mount Boucherie Estate Winery
Nk’Mip Cellars
Peller Estates
Quails’ Gate Estate Winery
Rollingdale Winery
St. Hubertus Estate Winery
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Tantalus Vineyards
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
Willow Hill Wines

2005 Vintage

Blossom Winery
Calona Vineyards
Fairview Cellars
Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery
Hainle Vineyards & Deep Creek Wine Estate
Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards (See Ya Later Ranch)
Hester Creek Estate Winery
Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Nk'Mip Cellars
Peller Estates
Paradise Ranch Wines
Quails' Gate Estate Winery
St. Hubertus Estate Winery
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Tantalus Vineyards
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
 
© 2006 British Columbia Wine Institute.  All rights reserved.