"Most days I juggle everything quite well, on the other days there's always red wine."

      - Rachael Bermingham

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Unique process is labor-intensive and a bit chilly

Frozen Vidal Blanc grapes hang from the vines, waiting to be harvested, while protected from deer and birds with vineyard netting.

Winter is upon us, and nothing defines Indiana winters like snow and ice. But all that ice can be a good thing, if you are talking about Ice Wines. Our staff is hoping to harvest our Vidal Blanc grapes this week (weather dependent) to make this year's Ice Wine, and so it seemed timely to talk about the process of making an Ice Wine, and well as its history, which is fascinating and unique.

Are Ice Wines a new idea? Actually, it is thought that the first Ice Wine originated in Germany around 1794, quite by accident. A trip away caused a winemaker to harvest his crop of grapes late, and though he thought his grapes were lost to the freeze, he decided to proceed anyway. The result was ice wine. Ice wines didn't, however, become commercially produced until the 1960s.

How is an Ice Wine made? True ice wines are made from grapes left on the vine after ripening until the first hard freeze (around 18 degrees F for several consecutive days). Then, the grapes are harvested in the early morning hours so they don't begin to thaw. They are then pressed while still frozen. Most of the frozen water content in these grapes is extracted, leaving a high sugar- and acid- concentrated juice from which the wine is made. The fermentation process requires special strains of yeast, and takes months (compared to days or weeks for table wines) because of the extremely high sugar level.

Why are Ice Wines so expensive?  Two reasons: small yield, big labor costs. Because the grapes are left on the vines into the winter months, much

Labor-intensive process: below-freezing conditions can cause Yetti-like symptoms, as demonstrated by our own Jason Satek.

of the harvest is lost to hungry birds and deer, and possibly to rot or dropped fruit. Sometimes the entire crop can be lost if the vineyard is not netted. The yield is also small because the water content of the must is extracted, and the remaining concentrated juice is only about 20% of the original amount. The labor involved in production is huge; and laborers work under freezing conditions through most of this long process. Even filtering and bottling is slow because of the high-viscosity of ice wines. But the end product is an elegant, upscale dessert wine which commands an average of $60 a split bottle. The most expensive Ice Wine produced was a Canadian Chardonnay Ice Wine-- of which only 5 cases were produced-- priced at $30,000 (Canadian currency) for a split bottle.

What is the appeal of Ice Wines? Besides having a unique production process, the bouquet, taste, and mouthfeel of ice wines is intriguing. The wine has a high sugar level balanced with high acidity, and is full-bodied with a long, lingering finish which is refreshing instead of heavy. Depending on the variety of grape used, the nose often has fruity notes of peaches, green apples, honey, citrus, caramel, and tropical fruits. The taste has an equally broad spectrum of flavors. The alcohol content is on the lower end of the scale, typically ranging from 8%-11%.

Does Satek Winery have an Ice Wine? Of course! We currently have a 2011 vintage of our Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, which garnered a Concordance Gold medal

in the INDY International Wine Competition this past year, available for tasting for $3 (refundable with purchase) or for $44.99 a split bottle. We will be making the 2012 vintage soon, which will likely be released in the second half of 2013.

That's your short course in Ice Wines. If all this new knowledge has whet your curiosity, stop in anytime we are open to experience first-hand why Ice Wines are the hot trend for wineries.