Ice Wine is a dessert wine made from grapes left out in the vineyard into the winter to de-hydrate under the steady rays of the sun. We are able to pick the fruit for Ice Wine once temperature reach 15 degrees F or lower. At these low temperatures, any water left in the berries turns to ice. When we process the frozen clusters, the press pushes out unfrozen, dense grape juice, leaving frozen water behind as a solid in the press. By removing the excess water in the berries in this way, the grape juice is even more concentrated. Additionally, as the grapes de- hydrated in the sun prior to picking, many of them turn to raisins. These raisins give the Ice Wine juice an earthier, honey-flavored quality which distinctive characteristic of this wine. Dessert-style Riesling wines can also be made by picking grapes earlier in the fall and by freezing them artificially. These dessert wines are tasty and sweet, but their juice never reaches the level of concentration achieved by a true Ice Wine. Additionally, the raisining of the berries that occurs while the grapes hang on the vine into the winter does not occur when grapes are frozen artificially. You can achieve the flavor profile of a true "Ice Wine" only by leaving the grapes outside to de-hydrate turn to raisins in the sun. Food Pairing: You can serve Riesling Ice Wine as a dessert all by itself. It also pairs extremely well with strong or salty blue cheese. Some people serve it as an appetizer with foie gras or charcuterie.