| Wine tours have long been popular in the realm of | | | | the sugars, acids and extracts, thus intensifying the |
| unique vacations; but for anyone who'd like to take | | | | flavors of the juice; then, as the frozen grapes are |
| the novelty of such a getaway to a whole new level, | | | | pressed, the highly concentrated, sweet juice is |
| Canada's Niagara region - and its famous Icewineries - | | | | extracted. The natural water portion, however, |
| await. | | | | remains in the grape skins as ice crystals. The juice is |
| One of the most intriguing aspects of a wine tour is | | | | then fermented very slowly over the course of |
| learning the history behind a type of wine, a winery | | | | several months to produce Icewine. Typical grapes |
| or a region that yields the wine - none of which are | | | | used for ice wine production include: Riesling Seyval |
| an exception when it comes to Icewines. The | | | | Blanc, Vidal Blanc and the red grape Cabarnet Franc. |
| discovery of Icewine in 1794 was accidental when, | | | | The Niagara region hosts an ice wine festival every |
| out of necessity, winemakers in Germany pressed | | | | January to celebrate the fruit of each year's harvest. |
| frozen grapes - the resulting juice of which was | | | | Locals and tourists alike can indulge in ice bars, frozen |
| found to have an unusually high concentration of | | | | art exhibits and tours through Niagara's famous wine |
| sugar. It wasn't until the mid 1800s, however, that | | | | routes - alongside, of course, a taste of some of the |
| the winery intentionally began to produce Icewine for | | | | region's most exquisite Icewines. |
| distribution. | | | | If you're considering taking an Icewine tasting tour in |
| The production of Icewine did not extend to Canada | | | | the Niagara region this winter, rest assured that there |
| until 1973, after which time the venture proved to be | | | | are plenty of fantastic options for accommodation in |
| a huge success. Today, Canada - and particularly, | | | | Niagara Falls. The Doubletree Resort Lodge & |
| Ontario's Niagara Peninsula region - is the largest | | | | Spa Fallsview, Niagara Falls, for example, features an |
| producer of Icewine, a product that's often referred | | | | award-winning VQA wine list, including Icewine by the |
| to as "liquid gold". That's because the juice from | | | | glass or bottle at Buchanans Chophouse. So you can |
| Icewine grapes composes about one-fifth the | | | | get started on the wine tasting before you even hit |
| amount that would be extracted from unfrozen | | | | the festival or your tour! |
| grapes. For instance, if the grapes of an unfrozen | | | | By touring Niagara's Ice wineries, you'll learn about the |
| vine produced a bottle of wine, the grapes of a | | | | unique processes involved in making Icewines, as well |
| frozen vine would produce just one glass of Icewine. | | | | as have the opportunity to try some of the most |
| The Icewine harvest begins in the winter months - | | | | exceptional wines in the world. So what are you |
| typically, in December - once temperatures drop | | | | waiting for? Take the novelty of a wine-tasting tour |
| below -10 to -13 degrees Celsius and grapes have | | | | to a whole new level - experience the Niagara |
| frozen on the vines. Natural freezing concentrates | | | | region's famous Icewines. |