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Ice Wine

Weinberge im Winter

Wenn Winzer pokern, ist der Einsatz hoch. Es geht um Trauben, die länger als sonst üblich am Rebstock hängen bleiben und auf Temperaturen von mindestens -7°C warten.

  • -7°C

    Grapes that hang on the vine longer than usual and wait for temperatures of at least -7°C can be used for ice wine.

  • 1830

    Ice wine was first documented in 1830, when winemakers in Dromersheim near Bingen in the Rhine-Hesse region accidentally discovered on February 11 that a wonderfully sweet must could be made from frozen grapes.

  • 100

    German ice wines usually have very high natural residual sugar contents of well over 100 grams per liter

Ice wine - a winemaker's gamble

In some years, precious rarities reward winemakers' willingness to take risks. When winemakers play such poker, the stakes are high. It's about grapes that stay on the vine longer than usual and wait for temperatures of at least -7 ° C. The winemaker's game with nature can last until January, and in rare cases until February. For the winemaker, it is all or nothing, because the ‘ice wine poker’ carries the risk of total loss.

If it doesn't get cold enough, ice wine cannot be produced. Only about 5-10% of the original harvest quantity is bottled as ice wine on average. The remaining amount of grapes is selectively cut out or falls victim to the unpredictable weather conditions.

The winemaker's masterpiece

The actual ice wine harvest, which in the vast majority of cases takes place in the early morning hours, is exhausting. The cold makes the fingers rigid and sensitive to pain. The frozen berries are laboriously harvested, and in the end the harvest quantity is often only between 300 and 500 liters per hectare. Nevertheless, the production of an ice wine is a challenge that a winery likes to face because this specialty is always seen as a masterpiece of the winemaker, which can only be produced in northern wine regions.

These requirements make things exciting not only for the winemaker but also for ice wine fans from all over the world who keep looking at the thermometer from the start of the harvest, hoping for a cold snap. The wine, which is produced as a rarity right from the start, draws collectors to the scene. High prices are asked for these noble treasures and the few available bottles are always in high demand.

The berry must freeze on the vine

It has been known since the very beginning of viticulture that minus degrees can be helpful in wine production. As early as 44 AD, the Roman writer Pliny reported on wines made from frozen grapes. In Germany, ice wine is documented for the first time in 1830, when winegrowers in Dromerheim near Bingen in Rhineland-Hesse accidentally discovered on February 11 that a wonderfully sweet must could be obtained from frozen grapes. With an amendment to the German Wine Law in 1982, "Eiswein" was raised to an independent attribute with corresponding regulations for berry selection, such as a minimum must weight of 110 to 128 ° Oechsle, depending on the growing region.

In contrast to the other noble sweet wines such as Auslesen, Beerenauslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen, the secret of ice wine lies in the dense concentration of the berry ingredients and a comparatively high degree of acidity. This phenomenon is achieved by freezing the berries on the vine. At least -7 ° C is required before the ice wine grapes can be harvested, ideally it is -10 to -12 ° C. The naturally frozen grapes are pressed in this “icy” condition early in the winter morning. The water contained in the berries remains as ice on the wine press, while only the sweetest juice, whose freezing point is lower than that of water, is obtained as a highly concentrated must.

The yeasts have great difficulty fermenting must with such a high sugar content to wine. Therefore, German ice wines generally have a very high natural residual sugar content of well over 100 grams per liter, but in contrast to southern sweet wines, they only have a relatively low alcohol content - often only around 7% by volume.

A premium ice wine needs healthy grapes

Passionate ice wine growers pay close attention to a healthy harvest without botrytis, which is responsible for the so-called noble rot. A premium ice wine needs above all healthy grapes as a starting material and this is exactly where the taste differs from other noble sweet wines such as Beerenauslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen. A high-quality ice wine does not have the taste characteristics of noble rot. Rather, the healthy grapes guarantee a fresh and concentrated fruity taste, and the wines generally have a relatively stable acidity. Ice wines are therefore a pleasure even at a young age.

The culmination of a culinary evening

Ice wine is a grandiose companion for festive occasions and an excellent aperitif that will delight gourmets. When the meal is completed, ice wine promises a brilliant finish: One can follow the recommendation of ‘like complements like’, especially with fruity desserts, ice cream or sorbets.

Or alternatively, follow the recommendation that ‘opposites attract’. An interesting contrast, even if it may sound unbelievable at first, is enjoying ice wine with mature fine cheese: on the one hand the salty to slightly bitter notes of the creamy cheese, on the other hand the fruity-sweet aromas of the concentrated wine, both contrasting flavors enveloping the palate and tongue, offering an exceptional taste experience.

Why and how are grapes protected that are left hanging for ice wine?

The ice wine plots are partially defoliated and wrapped in film. This process is primarily used to protect the fully ripe grapes from being eaten by birds and was first used in the 1960s. Without the film protection, no grapes would remain on the vine until December or January.

a Christmassy dessert Plum roaster with cinnamon ice cream

a Christmassy dessert

  • 1 kg Zwetschgen (frisch oder TK)
  • 100 Gramm Zucker
  • 0.5 TL gemahlener Zimt
  • Eine Prise Nelkenpulver
  • 50 ml Pflaumenschnaps
  • 50 Gramm dunkler Rohrzucker
  • 2 EL alter Balsamicoessig
  • 200 Gramm Zucker
  • 4 Eigelb
  • 500 ml Sahne

Plum rings:

Wash, deseed and quarter the plums. Spread the sugar evenly in a non-stick pan and melt slowly over a medium heat. Increase the temperature and immediately add the fruit, schnapps and spices. Stir until the mixture caramelises.

Stir in the muscovado sugar and balsamic vinegar, spread onto a cold plate after approx. 3 minutes.

<p

 

<p>Cinnamon ice cream:

Combine the sugar and egg yolks and stir the two ingredients over a bain-marie until frothy.

Whip the cream, then carefully mix both mixtures and add three teaspoons of cinnamon. Carefully mix the cinnamon into the mixture again.

Pour the finished mixture into any (cake) tin or small dish, cover with aluminium foil and place in the freezer for at least three hours.

 

Place the plums on four deep plates or small bowls, cut off 2 – 3 ice lollies each and place on top, serve immediately.

  • Gewürztraminer (trocken)

with herb crust Roast turkey

with herb crust

  • 600 Gramm Putenbrust am Stücke
  • 0,25 Liter Weißwein
  • 0,25 Liter Gemüsebrühe
  • 4 ganze Tomaten
  • 4 Scheiben Toastbrot
  • 2 ganze Eier
  • 2 Stück Zwiebeln
  • 75 Gramm geriebener Emmentaler
  • 1 Stange Porree
  • 1 Bund Schnittlauch
  • 1 EL Olivenöl
  • nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer

Wash the meat, pat dry and cut a deep pocket lengthways. Crumble the toast. Wash and chop the herbs, peel and dice the onions.

<p

 

<p>Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Place the bread, herbs, onions, cheese and eggs in a bowl, mix thoroughly and season. Stuff 2/3 of this mixture into the turkey breast. Pin the opening with wooden skewers and tie up crosswise with kitchen twine. Place the roast in a roasting tin and brush with oil.

 

Roast in the preheated oven for approx. 1 hour. Gradually pour in the white wine and vegetable stock.

<p

 

<p>Clean and wash the vegetables. Cut the leek into pieces and add to the roast with the whole tomatoes after 30 minutes.

 

About 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, spread the remaining third of the herb mixture over the roast and finish cooking.

 

Arrange on plates with the vegetables and serve. Serve with rice.

  • Pinot Gris (trocken)
  • Chardonnay (trocken)

with strong red wine Wild boar ragout

with strong red wine

  • 800 Gramm Fleisch vom Wildschwein (Keule o. Schulter)
  • 80 Gramm Bauchspeck
  • 100 Gramm Zwiebeln
  • 60 Gramm Karotten
  • 60 Gramm Staudensellerie
  • 1 TL Tomatenmark
  • 200 ml kräftigen Rotwein
  • 100 ml Portwein
  • 1 Liter braune Wildbrühe
  • 1 TL Preiselbeeren
  • 1 EL geschlagene Sahne o. Sauerrahm
  • 20 Gramm Mehl
  • 1 Stück Lorbeerblatt
  • je 1 Zweig Rosmarin und Thymian
  • 4 zerdrückte Wacholderbeeren
  • 1/2 TL Senf
  • nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer

Clean and wash the vegetables and cut into evenly sized cubes.

 

Remove the fat, skin and tendons from the wild boar meat and cut into 3 cm cubes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat on all sides. Add the vegetables and diced bacon and fry. Add the tomato purée and stir fry. Deglaze with the red wine and port, reduce and pour in the brown game stock. Add the spices to the meat in a small spice bag and leave the ragout to simmer in the oven at 160°C for approx. 1½ hours.

 

Then remove the pieces of meat, remove the spices, strain the sauce, add the cranberries and mustard and leave to reduce for about 15 minutes. If necessary, thicken with a little cornflour. Serve with the whipped cream.

  • Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir (trocken)

Light and fluffy: cashew coconut mousse with passion fruit Cashew coconut mousse with passion fruit

An airy cashew coconut mousse with passion fruit

  • 400g Cashewkerne
  • 400ml Haferdrink
  • 6EL Agavendicksaft
  • 6EL Kokosflocken
  • 4 Passionsfrüchte
  • 1 Prise Vanille

Place the cashews in a container and add enough water to cover the cashews sufficiently. Place the cashews in the fridge to soak overnight.

(With a high-performance blender, 3-4 hours is also sufficient.)

 

Drain the water and place the cashews in the blender with the oat milk, agave syrup and coconut flakes. Add the vanilla and blend until the mousse is creamy and no longer contains any chunks.

<p

 

<p>Divide the mousse between four glasses. Halve the passion fruit, scrape out the flesh with a teaspoon and place on top of the mousse. Decorate with coconut flakes.

  • Pinot Blanc (süß & edelsüß)
  • Riesling (süß & edelsüß)
  • Riesling Eiswein
  • Die eigentliche Eiswein-Lese, oft in den frühen Morgenstunden, ist anstrengend. Die Kälte macht die Finger starr und schmerzempfindlich. Mühsam werden die gefrorenen Beeren gelesen, am Ende liegt die Erntemenge oft nur zwischen 300 und 500 Liter pro Hektar. Fotoquelle: deutscheweine.de / DWI
  • Eiswein

  • Wine knowledge Wine spritzers Summer pleasure

  • Wine knowledge Rosé A favourite among wine lovers

    Rosé im Glas

  • Wine knowledge New Wine ("Federweißer") When grape juice starts to ferment

    If you hold the glass to your ear, Federweißer (new wine) sounds like murmuring waves. When the time of the grape harvest has come, you can get 'Rauscher', 'Sauser' or 'Brauser', these local terms are used for Federweißer in Germany, on every street corner.