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 15, 2006

SeanM
Last one was a late harvet Semillon from Laurel Ridge in Carlton OR, had it in the tasting room, loved it, and bought a bottle to bring home which my wife finished off for me. Wish I could get more. It was new to the winery, so new they hadn’t put lables on the bottles yet. Next one will be either one of your suggestions above or the bottle of Alvear Solera 1927 Pedro Ximenez that I have in my stock.
September 15, 2006

Big Billy from Big D
Nice show on sweet wines
Earlier this summer WLTV had a another ice (style) wine.
Meeker Frozin Zinfandel – 92 Points – Wine Library
“Sweet, zippy, spicy red zinfandel, made in a faux-ice wine style. Sweet cherry, strawberry and raspberry have a dominant flavor, with white pepper and fresh acidity on the finish. Perfect with chocolate!” (WL Item No. 5834)
And watch Gary review it in WLTV Episode 48 – Today Gary meets the Meekers (an early Gary has a bad hair day)

http://tv.winelibrary.com/2006/06/05/episode-48-today-gary-meets-the-meekers/

Another dessert wine easy on the budget is Moscato dâ€™Asti. WL has a nice selection. I love to serve it with â€œBig Billyâ€™s Way Too Easy Peach Granita/Sorbetâ€ after dinner.
How easy is Way Too Easy?
Freeze a can of sliced peaches. Open both ends, extract the cylinder and chunk it up. (Chunk it until granular for granite – then serve). For sorbet add the chunks to a food processor along with a shot or two of Peach Schnapps, or Peach Brandy, or Lemoncello, or Grand Marnier (be creative), spin it until smooth, refreeze, then serve. A great palate cleanser after dinner. Moscato dâ€™Asti goes with it really well.

Regarding Heat: Tim F is on to something, but precisely how much heat for how long?. The question for me is how long at 85 degrees before deterioration?

Chin chin
September 15, 2006

David M
Hey Gary!

Bummer about the red desert wine, Peter the winemaker out of Sineann makes an insane Zinfandel Icewine 59% residual at harvest!! Check it out, have manyfavs inthis category but his is one of my favorites especially with stinky blue toe jam cheese.Love those contrasts.
September 15, 2006

Steve A
Gary,
Great episode all around. Loved the Molson review as well (funny stuff).
Ice wine and wines from that region (as well as the finger lakes) are
really making some noise. More people should try them and know how good
the whites can be from up north. My favorite dessert wine is still the 1976 d’Yquem ..
just opened my 2nd to last bottle and it still holds up! 100 points+! Would be great to see you do an episode of the high end stuff, though it probably would not be feasible.
2001 Reiussiac is up there and still a baby. Got the 1927 Ximeniez and that rocked as well. Loved the 50 year Museuem from Yalumba in an awesome bottle.
Best, Steve
September 15, 2006

E
That reminds me: I ran across a Petit Verdot (I think it was 85% with a little merlot, but still) in Colorado last year … I think the winery was out by Grand Junction or thereabouts. Hiding underneath all that oak was a pretty decent wine.
September 15, 2006

Marc Mc
Gary,
We really like desert wine, port, ice wine, late harvest, but our favorites are the

Klein Constantia ‘Vin de Constance’ 1999 (South Africa)
and
Trentadue Chocolate Port (Sonoma)

Both are fantastic and you should try both if you have a chance.

Thank you for your great information and passion. Marc
September 15, 2006

TimF
If someone really wants to find out about heat/shipping/wine, just grab two bottles of wine. Put one in your cellar and the other in the trunk of your car for a few days (during the summer of course). Make sure it’s secured so it doesn’t roll around. Also, beware that the cork may be ejected due to pressure if it gets too hot. Then get both bottles to serving temperature and have someone else pour two glasses side by side so you can do a blind comparison. If you try it with Charles Shaw, it won’t be a very expensive experiment…
September 15, 2006

Chris Stanisci
Gary,

You need to give Kudos to TimF for figuring out “The Family Guy” mystery.

Do you have kids? If yes, then: how many? boy(s)? girl(s)? ages?

I have 3 wonderful boys: 17, 14 & 11.
September 15, 2006

Chris Stanisci
TimF, GREAT call on the reason for “The Family Guy” being in the background…VERY impressive!!

Doesn’t the Family guy look like Tim Russert??
September 15, 2006

Vinacull
Gary,
Truly wonderful episode today – great wines, lots of fun, intriguing olfactory images, and everything from swish-and-spit Molson to blimpie on the wall and Hulk Hogan hair color. When I saw you were tasting a Cab Franc as a dessert wine I got so excited I almost passed out because I thought you would answer my question from EP 88. Ah well, guess you were not up to it. BTW I agree with Joe’s comment that the HEAT Episode should arrange for sufficient temperature (and light?) contrast and for sufficient duration, otherwise it is likely the result of the “experiment” will be in favor of your opinion (bias?) that wines are relatively resilient. If your arrangement is not underway yet, then please also consider the possibility that higher temperatures may affect lighter/delicate wines more noticeably than big brawny ones. QOTD: Our favorite dessert wine is Domaine Des Baumard Coteaux du Layon (e.g., 1990 was amazing, but most any vintage is excellent quality). We love it because the body tends to be lighter, not “syrupy” and the taste is not the puckery sweet tropical fruits that one often finds in dessert wines. The nose is flowers, minerals/stone, and light honey on fresh lemon and pear fruit. With age the mineral component takes on more of the machine shop smell you referred to Gary — actually like a light diesel oil, if such a thing is possible. And the price is fantastic for a full size bottle compared to a 375 or 187ml, and only a fraction of the tag for high end Sauternes.
September 15, 2006

Fluffy
Gary,
Great show, will have to try a few Canadians.

QOD- It’s just so hard to beat the Sauternes and Barsac “botrytis cinerea” fungus but I’m a big fan of Italain picolits and the Valpolicella Recioto (more port like). As far as one that I can recall that did not cost an arm and leg like d’Yquem I would say it was Ch. Coutet (Barsac, I think).

Peace out – Fluff
September 15, 2006

E
Where’s Geddy Lee when you need him, eh?

Best dessert wine: a ‘75 Coutet Barsac about a decade ago. Yowza.

LAST dessert wine: a Missouri port made from Norton that I thought might keep for a few years. Alas, it reeked of pencil shavings, black fruit, cork and nasty. DNPIM-level nasty.
September 15, 2006

mike volker
Cline Late Harvest Mourvedre
September 15, 2006

Matteo
If anyone is interested in ICE WINE there is a festival in The Niagra wine region. Niagara Icewine Festival January 19 to 28, 2007. http://www.grapeandwine.com/
September 15, 2006

Italian Stallion
As far as dessert wines go, I’ve tasted a Rasberry wine from Bedell, a small Long Island winery. This wine was very strong (18% alcohol), but had such an intense rasberry taste….it would be perfect to pour on ice cream.
September 15, 2006

kidseyemd
The first dessert wine i was ever served, and one of the first wines i ever drank, period, was the 1959 D’Yquem-unbelievable. More recently, last year I really loved the Inniskillin Cab Franc Ice Wine.
September 15, 2006

Panman
Interesting niche selection for the show’s topic. This is exactly why I like tuning in; its different!

What’s with PG just hanging out on your wall? ha!
September 15, 2006

TimF
Grant Gallagher: Speaking of Graham’s from the 70s… I just opened a bottle of Graham’s 1975 and I wasn’t at all impressed. Do you think it was the quality of the cellar I bought it from or was that just a poor year (I’ve read that several places) and I’m drinking it too late? I’ll try to seek out that 1977 and see what happens.
September 15, 2006

TimF
the professor and….: Peter being up on the wall behind him has got to be a reference to Michael W asking Gary if he was a “big family type guy” in the comments section of episode 89.
September 15, 2006

J Holmes
By far, the best sweet wine I have ever tasted, and I have tasted many, was the 1999 Alois Kracher Zwischen Den Seen Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese #9. Thankfully, I still have two more bottles in the cellar. You can’t beat Scheurebe stickies, and I think this one put to shame every Sauternes, German, Aussie, Canadian, or Hungarian sweet wine that I have tasted. Have you ever had any of Kracher’s Scheurebe BA’s or TBA’s, Gary? What did you think of them?

J. Holmes
September 15, 2006

RCP
Great show, very informative on a unique niche of the wine industry. The last shot is highly amusing.
September 15, 2006

Tony
Crown,

Stalking?? Huh? Are you referring to me? And just exacting how do you “stalk” in an online forum??
September 14, 2006

the professor and....
Gary I’m learning more and more everyday, thanks! What’s up with Peter behind you, and heck, what’s up with the ever changing artwork behind you. I’m sure there must be a reason for it.

One more thing, Gary you drank a beer!! I thought you don’t drink beer!?! I’m proud of you for going outside the box and taking chances. Keep up the great work.
September 14, 2006

PeteB
I’ll have to give some of these a try. However, I do tend to prefer to have my desert wines on the lighter side – the syrup consistency really doesn’t do it for me. I don’t know if I have a favorite yet, but my goto bottle right now is the Nivole Moscato D’Asti. May not be everyones cup of tea, but I like it and that is what is most important.

P.S. – Thanks for throwing in some food pairings during these episodes, as I know I have appreciated them.
September 14, 2006

bob pederson
Had the Hungarian Tokay in Hungary and have a few bottles of it in the cellar – have to agree with Paul R – Klien Constantia Vin de Constance is delicious – the greatest glass of Kern’s apricot nectar EVER! Sweet but not overpowering sugary sickening sweet – holds on to it’s fruit and has a lean clean lasting finish