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Ice wine is intense. A half bottle serves six to eight guests.
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Ice wine is one of the rarest wines on earth, pressed from grapes frozen solid on the vine. Here is how it is made, why it costs so much, and how to enjoy it.
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Ice wine is a sweet wine made from grapes that freeze naturally while still hanging on the vine. In Germany and Austria it is called Eiswein, and in Canada it is often written icewine. The grapes are left on the vine long after the normal harvest, waiting for a hard freeze that may not arrive until December or January. When the temperature drops low enough, the frozen grapes are picked and pressed at once. Water inside each grape is locked up as ice crystals, so only a few drops of thick, sugary juice flow out. That juice ferments slowly into a golden, honeyed wine with startling acidity. Ice wine is part of the broader dessert wine family, but its frozen-on-the-vine method makes it unique.
Timing and cold are everything. Grapes stay on the vine, often protected with nets against birds, as autumn turns to winter. Producers wait for a sustained freeze, usually around 17–19°F or colder; Canada requires at least 17.6°F (−8°C) and Germany a similar threshold. Picking often happens by hand at night or before dawn, when it is coldest, and the grapes must stay frozen all the way to the press. Pressing is slow and hard, because the grapes are like marbles. Only a small fraction of the juice that unfrozen grapes would give comes out, highly concentrated in sugar, acid, and flavor. Fermentation then crawls along for weeks or months in the cold, high-sugar juice, usually stopping naturally at low alcohol. In major regions, freezing grapes artificially is not allowed for wines labeled ice wine.
Several things drive the price. First, very low yield: frozen grapes give only a fraction of normal juice, so one vine may produce just a glass or two of wine. Second, risk: grapes left hanging into winter can be eaten by birds and deer, rot in wet weather, or fall in storms, and if a hard freeze never comes, there is no ice wine that year. Third, labor: crews must be ready to pick by hand on short notice, often in the middle of a freezing night. Fourth, slow winemaking: pressing and fermenting take far longer than for normal wine. That is why ice wine is usually sold in 375 ml or even 200 ml bottles; see wine bottle sizes. Our ice wine vs. dessert wine page compares it with other sweet styles.
Ice wine needs a reliably cold winter, so only a few places make it regularly. Canada is the world’s largest producer, mainly from Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula and British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Canadian ice wine is often made from Vidal, a hardy hybrid grape with tropical, apricot flavors, and also from Riesling and red Cabernet Franc, which makes a pink-red ice wine tasting of strawberry and rhubarb. Germany and Austria make Eiswein, mostly from Riesling, in regions like the Mosel; warmer winters mean some years produce little or none. In the US, New York’s Finger Lakes and Michigan also make ice wine, though labeling rules for the term are looser there.
Ice wine is intensely sweet but surprisingly fresh. The freezing concentrates acidity along with sugar, so good ice wine tastes bright and lively rather than syrupy. Vidal ice wine shows flavors of apricot, peach, mango, pineapple, and honey. Riesling ice wine is more citrusy and floral, with lime, nectarine, and a racy finish, and it can age for years. Cabernet Franc ice wine brings strawberry, cranberry, and rhubarb. Texture is rich and silky. Alcohol is usually lower than table wine, often around 9–12%. Ice wine differs from late harvest wine, which comes from overripe or shriveled grapes, and from noble-rot wines like Sauternes, which taste of honey and saffron. Ice wine tends to taste purer, fruitier, and more tangy than either.
Serve ice wine chilled, around 45–50°F, in small pours of about 2 ounces. A small white-wine glass works well. Because it is so concentrated, a 375 ml half bottle easily serves six to eight people. Pair it with desserts that are a little less sweet than the wine. Fruit tarts, peach cobbler, crème brûlée, and cheesecake are excellent matches. Ice wine is also great with salty and savory foods: blue cheese, aged cheddar, and foie gras all contrast beautifully with its sweetness. Avoid very sugary or rich chocolate desserts, which can make the wine taste thin. Once opened, recork and refrigerate. The high sugar helps preserve it, and most ice wines stay fresh for several days to about a week.
| Grape | Where It's Made | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Vidal | Ontario and other Canadian regions | Apricot, mango, honey; rich and tropical |
| Riesling | Germany, Austria, Canada, New York | Lime, peach, floral; racy acidity, ages well |
| Cabernet Franc | Ontario, British Columbia | Pinkish red; strawberry, rhubarb, spice |
| Grüner Veltliner and others | Austria | Citrus, pear, white pepper; bright and fresh |
| Sparkling ice wine | Canada | Fizzy, sweet, tropical fruit; festive and rare |
Ice wine is intense. A half bottle serves six to eight guests.
Choose desserts slightly less sweet than the wine, like fruit tarts or cheesecake.
Look for ice wine or Eiswein from Canada, Germany, or Austria for the natural freeze method.
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Answer a few simple questions and discover styles that fit your palate.
Take the Wine QuizFrozen grapes produce only a small fraction of normal juice, so each vine makes very little wine. Growers also risk losing the crop to birds, rot, or a winter without a hard freeze, and they must pick by hand in freezing conditions.
Yes, ice wine is very sweet, but high acidity keeps it fresh and balanced. It tastes of honey, apricot, and tropical fruit. Most people enjoy it in small pours as dessert or alongside cheese.
Ice wine is usually lower in alcohol than table wine, often around 9–12% ABV. The very sugary juice ferments slowly, and yeast typically stops before converting all the sugar into alcohol.
It lasts longer than most table wines. Recorked and refrigerated, ice wine usually stays fresh for several days to about a week. Its high sugar and acidity help protect it from spoiling quickly.
Ice wine comes from grapes frozen naturally on the vine. Some wines labeled iced or dessert wine use grapes frozen artificially after harvest. In Canada and Germany, only naturally frozen grapes can make ice wine or Eiswein.
Yes, especially Riesling ice wine, which can develop for a decade or more, gaining notes of honey, marmalade, and petrol. Vidal ice wine is usually best within a few years of release while its tropical fruit is fresh.
