Eiswein
What is it?
Eiswein (pronounced and also called Ice Wine) is a dessert wine that can be made from multiple varieties of grapes, generally Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Vidal, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Eiswein is made by letting the grapes freeze on the vine before harvest. For that reason, Eiswein is normally grown in cold regions, such as Canada and parts of Germany. Freezing the grapes leads to a higher sugar level, resulting in a naturally sweeter wine than normal. The grapes are processed while still frozen.
Primary flavors are pineapple, lemon curd, honeysuckle, apricot, and lychee. Suggested pairings are softer cheeses and subtle desserts, like cheesecake. We had a Riesling ice wine, and we paired it with a Kahlúa Bundt cake for Ryan's birthday which was this week. Though it didn't perfectly fit in the suggested category for pairings, the cake and wine went pretty well together!
Molly's Rating and Tasting Notes
8.2. There's some definite rubbery vibes to the nose of this wine, along with a touch of sweetness. It's very sweet in the mouth, which is to be expected for a dessert wine. I get notes of pineapple juice and something similar to a honey stick with orange peel (though I don't know if those actually exist). I do really like this, but it is definitely a special occasion thing- I couldn't drink it every day.
Ryan's Rating and Tasting Notes
8.6. On the nose I get pineapple, cashew, and latex. I also get a little bit of white peach as well. Upon tasting, the first thing I notice is how sweet it is. There is also a little bit of acidity as well, but it's slight compared to the predominent sweetness. On the tongue the pineapple definitely shines through as well as the rubbery chemical taste. However, I should note that the chemical taste isn't as strong as the pineapple note, and is actually quite pleasant as it balances out the sweetness. There's also a nutty, oakiness on the backend that contributes an additional savory/tannic note, adding a little bit of complexity. This wine teeters on the edge of too sweet and too astrignent, but walks the tightrope expertly. There's not much of a finish which is nice, as it might be too overwhelming if the flavour stayed for very long. The sensation is as sweet and ephemeral as life itself before it is cast in the void to be forgotten. Overall a very nice wine.
References
[1] Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack. Wine Folly: The Master Guide. Avery - A Penguin Imprint, New York, NY, 2018.
[2] "Ice Wine, You're So Fine." Wine Folly. https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/ice-wine-youre-so-fine/Accessed: October 2023.
[3] "Ice Wine." Wine Folly. https://winefolly.com/wines/ice-wine/. Accessed: October 2023.
Wines we haven't finished
- Week 38 - Trebbiano Toscano