Icewine season is almost upon us! Referred to affectionately as Liquid Gold, this sweet wine has its own annual dedicated celebration, Niagara Icewine Festival. So, you may be wondering what makes this wine so extraordinary?

To earn the title of icewine, the grapes must meet certain standards set by the VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance). When the temperature hits a minimum of -8C, frozen grapes are handpicked from vineyards, then are continuously pressed to extract the juice that makes this special wine. This method yields very little liquid compared to the usual processing of grapes for wine, which is what makes icewine a luxury product and the reason it got the nickname of Liquid Gold.

Half a dozen Niagara-on-the-Lake grape growers sprung into harvesting action mid-November, as many of them believe an early pick produces a fresh-fruit taste. Other grape growers who choose to harvest later, believe this practice yields a baked flavour.

Given the region’s worldwide reputation for producing Gold-Metal award-winning dessert wines, trying this vino has become a quintessential experience for visitors.

NIAGARA ICEWINE FESTIVAL

Local growers pay tribute to this coveted wine with a celebration of everything grape at the annual Niagara Icewine Festival during the first three weekends of January.

One of the season’s hotly-anticipated highlights is the 25th anniversary of the Niagara Icewine Gala, which will be held at the Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls on Friday, January 10th, 2020. Thirty-five of Niagara wineries will show off their finest wines and culinary excellence at this black-tie affair.