Canadian Ice Wine and Dessert Wine….OH CANADA!

Canadian Ice Wine and Dessert Wine….OH CANADA! – Episode #90

September 14, 2006

Wines tasted in this episode:

Today Gary attacks and talks about Canadian Ice wines and Dessert wines. Gary is blown away by the efforts from up North and asks a great little question. Please join in and ask Gary some questions and look for the fun and excitement in this episode!

126 Responses

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September 19, 2009

John J.
Great episode Gary, couldn’t agree with you more on Canada’s ice wines. Where I work, we primarily focus on french wines so i get the opportunity to try alot of the top Sauternes, Barsac etc. I’ll tell ya those Canadian ice wines definitely give them a run for their money. The last 2 I had both vidal’s, from Inniskillin and Riverview respectively, had quality and finishes to then that were unreal. Then when you compare their prices to the other top dessert wines out there, like Sauternes, there’s no reason not to scoop these ice wines up.
qotd: probably ice wines right now actually, although I’m anxious to try a vin de paille from Jura or Rhone.
My fav’s change all the time, which brings me to my request for you Gary. I’d like to see you do an episode on the 2 things I’m currently thinking about, a vin jaune episode, and a tasing on different California charbono’s.
March 1, 2009

ForzaInter
Great episode Gary! Since you are fan of sparklers and ice wines, I’m sad you didn’t try the Inniskillin sparkling vidal, my favorite wine from Canada. I also enjoyed the cab franc from the same producer.

Now that I’ve living near Piemonte, it’s time to expand my wine knowledge with Dolcetto, Gattinara, Ghemme and Barbera!

I have to also admit being let down on the beer choice. Moosehead, Alexander Keith’s, Okanagan Springs, and Sleemans are good mainstream choices. Quebec’s Unibroue is my favorite producer…they make a great white beer (Blanche de Chambly) and La Fin Du Monde is a surprisingly enjoyable ~10% beer.
February 20, 2009

Alex
Gary,

You should try the Chateau des Charmes Vidal Ice wine. It is literally liquid gold and a finish that lasts forever. There is also an Ice Gewurztraminer from Malvoire in the Beamsville Bench … wow, absolutely tremendous. It won an award at a dessert wine competition in France. a force to be reckon with!
January 31, 2009

Alyssa
Hey!
I’m from Niagara and we’re all very proud of our wine, especially ice wine. Just a heads up Gary! Henry of Pelham is pronounced Henry of Pell-um. Pelham is a county in the Niagara region with a ton of vineyards and orchards.
November 3, 2008

Juan
How can I see this video about ice wines from Canada? Well, Its Possible to send the response to my email?
Thahks
Juan (Santiago de Chile)
November 2, 2008

Ray Barnes
QOTD..In my case it is a tie between the 1976er Langwerth von Simmern Erbach Marcobrunner Riesling Auslese, which was very expensive and had an absolutely sublime bouquet; and, of a much lesser pedigree but still very enjoyable (and I bought a case of it on clearance Thank God), the 1996 Winzergenossenschaft Monchhof Trockenbeerenauslese (Central cooperative of Monchhof, Austria), made from Welschriesling (Gray Riesling), and still improving two days after uncorking. This was a most enjoyable episode as well.
July 6, 2008

Earl Dunbar
If only you had had a chance at Hillebrand Trius ‘97 Vidal Icewine, oak aged. And Harbour Estates ‘99 Riesling. The first was had a nearly unbelievable muscular maturity. The latter was lacy and refined, yet not insubstantial at all. Then there’s Pillitteri…

I’m not as much a fan of Inniskillen as others; I respect their heritage and tradition though. I haven’t tried the Royal di Maria, whose prices are stratospheric.
April 26, 2008

Kristen
QOTD: I’ve had some pretty good ones from a local vineyard in Little Compton, RI Sakonnet Vineyards. They have a great Vidal late harvest.
March 8, 2008

Deeve
Whoops. That was supposed to be a 1995 Henry of Pelham late harvest vidal, not 1996.
March 7, 2008

Deeve
Great Episode. Big fan of icewines.

I live in the Niagara area and drive past the vineyards regularly. Visit many of the wineries too.

Fave dessert wine would have to be the 1996 Henry of Pelham late harvest vidal.

Reason being it was the first dessert wine I ever had and it got me hooked. A few years ago my wife and I went to the winery and bought the last case of the 1996 LHV. (at least they told us it was the last case). I think I have one of the few remaining bottles in existence sitting in my cellar waiting for that special day. We split that case with friends, they went throught their share faster than I did. Had a bottle of it as recently as 6 months ago and it was still holding strong if not getting better.

I also have a couple of bottles of Stonechurch vineyards 1995 and 1996 Icewine. These are extremely good as well and seem to be getting better with age.

Any thoughts on ageing icewine?
February 14, 2008

thefanjestic
I actually don’t know the name of the first desert wine I tried – but it was the 1st wine that made me think I could actually like wine! It was a German desert wine – or maybe French – it kills me that I don’t remember.

I haven’t had any icewines – that will be an experience.
August 15, 2007

Vaynerchuk Does Canada — Grape Juice: A Wine Blog Archive
[...] So this was before the time when you could embed the video into your own site. You’ll have to put up with me and my summarizing capabilities. Click here to view the episode. [...]
July 18, 2007

David Canada
That’s right….shout it loud and proud about Canadian wine! Nice to also see where my autobody shop shirt sprung from
QOTD – 1996 Tokaji 6 puttanoyos. This stuff is the real deal!
June 29, 2007

Daniel O
Hey Gary!

I’m new to your site so I’m going back through old episodes. Since I’m from Canada I thought that I’d see which Canadian wines you’ve tasted in the past… and low and behold here’s an icewine episode!

To answer your question: the dessert wine that absolutely blew me away was the Inniskillin Sparkling Icewine. That stuff is AWESOME!

I’m looking forward to watching other episodes where you taste Canadian wines. Thanks for spreading the word on icewines from your neighbours to the north!
March 9, 2007

michelle
I’ve just started tasting wine & seem to like the dessert wines. This is the first time watching an episode. This is great! I’ve learned so much. THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 27, 2007

JimM
Interesting that you caught the petrol flavour in the Vidal; that tends to come up in the Niagara terroir, particularly Vidal. In one vidal icewine from Reif (2000, probably), the petrol note was considerable — not overpowering, but unmistakeable. A Cab Franc from Strewn I tasted over the holidays had similar traits.

I grew up in the Niagara Region back when wine in Canada was Brights, AndrÃ©s and a few others (I remember when Karl Kaiser first tried icewine in Canada), and I have to echo and add to Jimmy Smokepack here; in addition to his points about Cayve Springs and iceWine (iceVine is how I say “eiswein”) I’ve never heard anyone call it “Pel-hahm”. Perhaps the winery does that, I see Daniel Speck didn’t raise the issue, but it’s just “Pelluhm”, at least to us locals.

I recommend the 2005 Peller Estates Oak-aged Vidal they are tasting now (as of Christmas 2006), it has a creme brulÃ©e taste to it very similar to that Jackson-Triggs you tasted, but stronger — and it doesn’t just disappear immediately upon the finish like it does in the J-T… it lingers nicely without being cloying. It isn’t the fruit bomb Vidal usually is, either. I’m so pi$$ed I couldn’t take any home, thanks to homeland security (no fluids on planes, and I didn’t want to risk any wine in checked bags after a friend of mine found out what the drop in pressure does to corks)… if you can stock it, do!

It seems like everyone is in love with Cave Springs (Wine Spectator, the perennial Europhiles, consistently rate their Riesling icewine at 90 points), and for good reason; their Rieslings are consistently very well balanced.

One thing I’ve wondered about: does Canada have some legal monopoly on the term “icewine”? Apart from the Germans with “eiswein”, it seems like all the non-Canadian frozen-grape wines are two words “ice wine”. I thought at first that two-word “ice wine” was the artificially frozen sort (e.g. the Renwood “Amador Ice” Zinfandel), but I’ve since discovered Selaks (New Zealand) and Covey Run (Columbia Valley, Washington) ice wines that are nonetheless frozen naturally.
January 2, 2007

Jimmy Smokepack
As a wine professional in Canada, I appreciate your comments about Canadian Ice Wine, but it’s pronounced ice-wine, not eis-wein, like in Germany. Also, the winery name is Cave Springs, not cave with a French softened pronounciation.
I recommend some of the sparkling icewines from Niagara or BC, truly unreal.
I do enjoy the program, but sometimes the pronunciation is way off. In the Champagne episode, you constantly say Pinot Manure!! Its pronounced Moo-nyay.
I’m not trying to come off snobbish, but accuracy of other languages is important in our profession.
September 18, 2006

Gordon
Ice wines and Peter Griffin, Freakin’ Sweet!!!
I love ice wines.
Have you tried Neige, the apple ice wine also from Canada?

Keep up the excellent episodes.

Gordon
September 18, 2006

Daniel Speck
Hi Gary

Loved the show.

I am one of the owners of Henry of Pelham along with my 2 bros Paul and Matt. Thanks for reviewing the Late Harvest Vidal and Riesling Icewine. While they’re great at dessert they’re also excellent before a meal with sharp cheeses like aged cheddar or blue. They’re also an interesting match with oysters on the half-shell (especially Malepeques from the East Coast of Canada) and especially foie gras.

There’s a bar in NYC (the Stir Lounge I believe) that serves a drink called a Frostbite — it’s basically an icewine martini: 2 parts vodka, 1 part Henry of Pelham Riesling Icewine. They’re a bit too good (as we used to say in college “a brain dart”) but there’s also another good way to drink icewine: We make a traditional method pinot/chard sparkling wine called Cuvee Catharine Brut (named after Henry’s wife — Henry and Catharine are our 18th century ancestors). 3 oz of the brut and a dollop of our Henry of Pelham Cabernet Franc Icewine (which leaves a reddish hue at the bottom of the glass, kind of like the sunny side of a peach) and you have a Kir Catharine. Now that’s good drinking!

Let me know when you’re next in Niagara and I’ll show you around.

Cheers!

Daniel Speck
Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
September 18, 2006

Rick McQ
Gary:

I was drinking the Twenty Rows 04′ Cab last night while watching the game. That is an awsome wine. I’m sitting on 24 bottles of it. I thought the Jets were going to come back and rob me of the free shipping! They look much better than I thought. Go Steelers!
September 18, 2006

Rick McQ
Gary:

I’ve been on vacation and spent the last hour catching up on last weeks shows. They were all very good. 90-93 points!

Rick
September 17, 2006

Polly
The very first dessert wine I tasted was Quady Essencia and it was like nectar. I was a brand new wine drinker (and, by the way, I was on a first date with a very knowledgeable wine guy) so the experience of it was really memorable. Since that time, though, I’ve tried Essencia again and it wasn’t nearly as magical (and, by the way, over time the wine guy wasn’t very interesting either! …a correlation maybe?!). Anyway, my favorite now is probably Dolce by Far Niente. I love that stuff.
September 16, 2006

Dennis Miller
Loved the ice wnie episode. Upstate NY is also coming on board with several ice wines from the finger lakes region. Might be worth looking into.
Lately I have been drinking CA wines from a winemaker named “Joel Gott”. He makes a terrific zin as well as a good cab. Have you heard of him? Would you consider a tasting that included him along with a couple of others who fall into that category of “wine maker” that does not own a vineyard.

THANKS,
djm
September 16, 2006

ChrisR
Besides ice wine, my favorite dessert wine: Castello Banfi Florus
September 15, 2006

Rich T
Many years ago my wife and I were at Joseph Phelps and picked up two bottles of late harvest reislings that were only available at the winery, I saved them for some time and opened them on separate occasions and was just as blown away by the flavors as when we first tasted them years before. Nothing has come close to them IMHO but I am willing to try all comers and look forward to the tasting of these canadian wines, the Tokays I have tried are close but no cigar.