For ten, sub-zero days in January, the Niagara region hosts one of the year’s most celebrated events- The Niagara Icewine Festival. Ice sculptures are chiseled out of boulders of glassy ice, chefs pair the sweet elixir with tasty edibles and the icewine from numerous vineyards flows freely, even in minus thirty degree Celsius weather! And that’s the main draw- the region’s legendary icewine- made when the grapes freeze on the vine and yes, they are almost always picked by hand. Brrrrr!
"When Gold Meets Cold"
Once temperatures dip between -10 to -13 degrees Celsius, the grapes are ready for harvesting and, as the festival tag line reads, it’s “When Gold Meets Cold.” This year, the festival commenced on January 16th to the 25th, replete with an annual Icewine Gala at the Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, to days of top notch vineyards offering their golden wines with all sorts of local delights including duck chowder and savoury pastries in downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake (Jordan, Ontario and St. Catherines, Ontario also have their turn to host revelers). That’s where a group of hungry tourists and icewine appreciators gathered to start the day on the 24th of January.
One of the best ways to sample to your heart’s content is to drive to the various vineyards where a sample of cheese or another pairing is on offer. Just make sure to either have a designated driver on hand (as our group did), or take the shuttle bus that’s offered with the purchase of a very worthwhile Icewine Festival Discovery Pass ($30 per person gets you to six vineyards of your choice for samples and pairings). Without the pass, most pairings cost $10 each- so you can see how quickly they’d add up.
A Round Up of Some Taste-Worthy Stops in and around Niagara-on-the-Lake:
(NOTE: the wine route extends beyond N-O-T-L – you also have the option of nearby Twenty Valley and St. Catherines. This comprised the top hits in a five hour time span.)
- Coyote’s Run Estate Winery- their 2007 Riesling Icewine paired beautifully with Chef J. Mark Hand’s specially crafted Malaysian-style braised Stevensville pork on Naan. Icewine, being a dessert wine is usually paired with sweets- this non-traditional pairing was a welcomed and delicious break from the norm.
- Château des Charmes- is the idea stop for those wanting a range of Riesling flavours. They offered three takes on the area’s most versatile grape: a 2006 Riesling that’s dry and crisp, a 2006 Late Harvest Riesling that moves into the sweeter category, and then the 2007 Riesling Icewine that’s helped put this vineyard on the proverbial wine map.
- Hillebrand Winery- offered a winter perfect cocktail called Trius Kiss made with their icewine, hot chocolate and a rosette of whipped cream that was paired with Chef Dodd’s delicately pink handmade Icewine, French-style Macaroons. Magnifique.
- Inniskillin- is known as the pioneer of icewine in the region and they didn’t disappoint with their truffled cream of cauliflower soup paired with their delightful Sparkling Vidal Icewine. FN Canada celebrity baker/chef Anna Olson was also on hand to sign a copy of her latest book.
- 20 Bees Winery- provided a Late Harvest Vidal and Ice Bees Vidal Icewine paired with a honey baked apple sliver. The former proved ideal for our group’s palate- not too sweet and ripe with the nuances of apricot and honey. With a cheese plate- this wine’s a winner!
Hit of Savoury
The group’s only wish was that more savoury food was offered at the vineyards. Talk about an opportunity to take advantage of cold, hungry tourists who longed to soak up some of the icewine’s sweetness with a hit of savoury fare. Even sandwiches using the area’s wonderful cheeses and charcuterie would have gone over gangbusters! We only found some lone sausages at Hillebrand on offer- and they were quickly consumed! Overall however, this is the perfect winter day getaway – or turn it into a weekend and partake of the famed Icewine Classic Weekend Winemaker’s Dinner.
Speaking of which, click here to read about Fielding Estate Winery and Palatine Hills Estate Winery’s grand meal held in the intimate confines of the Pillar and Post’s “Library Room.” New favourites were discovered and enjoyed with a sumptuous feast of a meal!
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