And you thought it was best served in a glass

Icewine is unique from other wines. It’s produced from grapes that have been left on the vine well beyond the fall harvest. Not till the weather temperature drops to -8° or less, on a consistent basis (usually in December), are the grapes harvested. Each grape is hand-picked during the night and pressed immediately, while still frozen, to capture a thick, rich, yellow-gold liquid that is highly-concentrated in sugars and acidity.

 

 

Icewine put Ontario winemakers on the map

When it comes to icewine, Ontario’s wineries are tops. Year after year, in distinguished international competitions, icewines bearing the labels of Ontario vintners win gold medals and critical praise. It only makes sense…Ontario has the perfect climate for producing icewines.

Ontario summers are hot and the winters are consistently cold. No other wine region in the world can count on having a cold winter every year like Ontario does, which is why Ontario is the only wine region in the world that is able to produce icewine from one season to the next.

 

Distinctively sweet

With their high-concentration of sugars, icewines are sweet to the taste. And while there are plenty of enthusiasts who enjoy its succulent sweetness before, during or after a meal, there are others who find it a tad too overpowering for their palate.

Perhaps you are one of those people, but over the holiday season you received a bottle of icewine as a gift from a friend or family member. Before thoughts of re-gifting come to mind, consider this: icewine makes a wonderful ingredient in the kitchen!

 

There’s more than one way to get a taste of icewine

Icewine is not only best served in a glass. Chefs around the world incorporate icewine into their recipes to create salad dressings, marinates, glazes, sauces, pastries, desserts and drinks. Want to try cooking with icewine?

One simple way is to take your favourite recipes and just substitute the sweet ingredient (e.g. honey, maple syrup, etc.) with icewine. Another way is to embark on a culinary adventure and try something new, like any of the delicious, and in many cases, unique, icewine recipes we have assembled below.

 

Icewine appetizers – Fire & Ice Hot Pepper Jelly

Looking for an appetizer with a little kick? This is it! For this recipe, icewine is combined with a few other ingredients in a saucepan to add flavour to sweet and spicy peppers. Delicious on brie, goat cheese, cream cheese or meats. For the full recipe, visit: What’s Cooking By Kraft Canada

(Photo Credit: Kraft Canada)

 

Icewine Salad Dressing

This entire salad is made in a jar and includes a dressing that marries icewine vidal with basil, olive oil, mint, Montreal steak spice and rice vinegar. For the full recipe, visit: The Ice House Winery

(Photo Credit: The Ice House Winery)

 

Icewine mains – Salmon Sautéed in Red Icewine

With its strong fruity flavours, red icewine pairs wonderfully with salmon. In this recipe, it is used in the marinade and for sautéing the fish. Enjoy! For the full recipe, visit: KelonaNow.com

(Photo Credit: Kelownanow.com)

 

Icewine Dijon Glazed Vegetables

You’ll have no trouble getting everyone to eat their vegetables with this icewine recipe. Follow the ingredients to a tee or substitute your preferred veggies. Either way, this icewine glaze will guarantee there are no leftovers. For the full recipe, visit: The Ice House Winery.

(Photo Credit: The Ice House Winery)