Monday, February 14, 2022

Dan Berger: Ice Wines

 You'd think that the 2022 U.S. wine-grape harvest ended months ago, but curiously it's now harvest time in a small number of northern hemisphere areas with conditions that couldn't be stranger.

 

    That's the word out in northern Michigan, which a week ago experienced such cold weather (minus 7 degrees F on Jan. 31!) that any grapes left hanging on vines actually froze, giving winemakers a chance to make extraordinary wines.

    It is not a common wine, though true wine lovers can become so awestruck by it they will go to great lengths to obtain a bottle.

    It's called ice wine, and it's a specialty that entails great risks for winemakers alongside being costly to make. On occasion, a winery will lose a huge amount of money trying to make one.

    Ice wines may be made from almost any grape variety, from cabernet franc to riesling. The latter is especially important in Germany, where some of the best Eisweins command outrageous prices.

    It's rare to see ice wines being made from common grapes because most are fragile, and freezing can not only destroy their skins, but also cause them to fall off the vine before they can be picked.

    In Michigan, upstate New York and especially in Canada, the most common grape used to make ice wine is Vidal (vee'-doll), which often develops superb aromas of peach, pear, pineapple and a fascinating note that often reminds me of candle wax!

    Most winemakers who intend to produce ice wines leave some table wine grapes on the vine until the weather turns cold. During weeks when grapes are left on vines, they develop unbelievable amounts of sugar, which attracts birds.

    To protect berries from being eaten by scavengers, most wineries cover vines with netting -- just one expensive aspect of making this stuff.

    Then there's the question of temperature. Will it get low enough to freeze the grapes? If so, harvested fruit is sent to a press, where ice crystals become water while the remaining fruit is quickly taken to a fermentation tank.

    But this isn't a traditional harvest: you really don't get grape "juice." Usually, it looks like syrupy jam. Some winemakers are forced to shovel the stuff -- it doesn't flow!

    This syrup usually has as much as 45% sugar, almost twice the amount they get from grapes for table wine. 

    And the volume they get is scant. A ton of grapes picked to make table wine typically yields 150 to 175 gallons -- about 70 cases of wine. Grapes intended to become ice wines end up losing much of their weight through desiccation.

The result is usually no more than 50 gallons from a ton. Ice wine case production from that amount: about 20 cases -- less than a barrel.

    Then there's the task of fermenting it. Not only is the sugar outrageously high, but so is the acidity. Under those conditions, there's no guarantee the fermentation will proceed normally.

    If all goes well, wineries that make ice wines will have a nectar perfect to pair with desserts -- or to be served as dessert. Yes, it will be very sweet, but an ice wine will only be as good as it should be if its acidity is high, allowing it to balance the sugar.

    I most appreciate ice wines that aren't cloying, where there's an equilibrium between tart and sweet.

    Mike Kent of Traverse City Tourism said this year's cold temperatures allowed several Traverse City wineries to make ice wines, including Chateau Chantal, Black Star Farms, Brys Estate, Chateau Grand Traverse, 45 North, and Bel Lago.

    Ice wines take a long time to ferment, so these wines won't be available for several months. And they'll be expensive, but small bottles are enough to serve several people -- tiny sips of a delicious treat! 

    One final note: most ice wines will carry the vintage 2021 because that's the year in which the fruit was grown.

    To find out more about Dan Berger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2022 CREATORS.COM

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lmaoooooo @ 0 comments

Anonymous said...

I had the opportunity to try ice wine at a winery near Toronto. It is very expensive. It is also very good.

Anonymous said...

Good to know Thurston.

Anonymous said...

you can use Welch's frozen grape juice concentrate and do the same thing.

Anonymous said...

The best eiswein (ice wine) I have ever had was Inniskillin (Canadian). German ones are also fantastic. They are worth every penny, if you enjoy an incredible almost dessert wine.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.