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NIAGARA WINE TRAIL: Niagara Landings harvests frozen grapes for ice wine
CAMBRIA — The weather has been very helpful to the Niagara Landing Wine Cellars and their new type of wine.
Thanks to the cold weather, Niagara Landing has been able to harvest and process frozen wine grapes. The grapes are used to make “ice wine,” a type of dessert wine. Sugar and other solids in the grapes do not dissolve during pressing when the grapes are frozen, so the wine is often very sweet.
“It’s different from harvesting in October; the grapes are left on the vine,” said co-owner Jackie Connelly. “The water leaves, and the juice turns into concentrate. The grapes have to be left to freeze at an average of 17 degrees over three days.”
Grapes are left on the vine after harvest in the fall. The fermentation process occurs slowly after the grapes have been frozen and picked. Because of the high concentration of sugar, the taste of the wine can be aggressive.
“It is a very intense flavor,” Connelly said. “All different kinds of fruity quality comes up. It is a burst in your mouth.”
Niagara Landing began the harvesting of the frozen grapes on Thursday morning. About 12 volunteers showed up at 7:30 a.m. to pick the grapes. Connelly said she was happy to see so many people help out, as well as the beautiful, although cold, weather.
“We had about a dozen wonderful volunteers from the community come out and help us,” she said. “I told them I was very proud of them. It was a beautiful day. Wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”
The volunteers started picking the frozen grapes at about 8 a.m. and just started wrapping up in the afternoon. The group was picking the first crop of grapes and spent the day pressing them. Connelly said there would be a party for the volunteers afterwards, when the wine is ready. Co-owner Peter Smith said the day was tiring and there was still a little left to do.
“My back’s sore, and we have one more pressing tomorrow, and then we’re done,” he said. “Then it is the winemaker’s baby from there.”
Niagara Landing had tried making ice wine before, but in the past, the weather wasn’t cold enough. This was the first year the winery succeeded at making the wine. Smith said the winery would try again next year because of his customers.
“I don’t know what it is, but people love the stuff,” he said.
Ice wine is usually made from vidal blanc, a traditional white wine grape. The production of ice wine is popular in the province of Ontario in Canada, and in Germany.
Connelly said the winery was anticipating that the wine would be ready in about three to four months. The exact time would be up to the winemakers, according to Smith. An announcement would be made by Niagara Landing, and posted on their Web site, www.niagaralanding.com. Niagara Landing Wine Cellars, located at 4434 Van Dusen Road in Cambria, is a member of the Niagara Wine Trail.
Contact reporter Joe Olenickat 439-9222, ext. 6241.
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