January, 2018
Every January, the Niagara region turns into a winter wonderland highlighting one of the best festivals. Typically, over three weeks you can sample this sweet dessert wine made from grapes that are left to freeze on the vine. We are one of the largest producers of ice wine due to our climate. Niagara turns into an icewine village in January where upwards of 30 wineries will participate in festivities, but I will highlight my top three here! If you are looking to combine the festival with a weekend – check out the Vintage Inn specials and my blog on Weekend Getaways.
Pillitteri Estates Winery – A true family business, Gary Pillitteri from Sicily, envisioned owning his own winery with the opening of this family estate winery in 1993 was his dream come true! You will need to be careful with ice wine – stronger than regular wine in the region so you will get a little happier sooner than normal! Here I recommend the Icewine and Chocolate Tasting as nothing goes better with dessert wine than dessert! Known for flavours of peach, apricot and mangos you will enjoy this unique wine that’s incomparable to anything else.
Chateau des Charmes – Found in 1978 with more than 40 vintages in their vineyards, the Bosc family remains committed to owning and operating Chateau des Charmes and producing 100% estate-grown wines. Here you will want to sample the Cabernet Icewine and the Vidal Icewine. The Cab is a rich ruby-crimson color with cranberry and strawberry notes with a hint of cassis and dark chocolate – so when you are thinking of pairing think about the most velvety chocolate fudge cake with a strawberry compote reduction. Share the cake and savour the combination of the icewine and chocolate together. Next up, the Vidal which is the most popular grape used to make ice wine. With this wine, you will have a mouthful of fruit and flower gardens in full bloom with hints of honey. For pairing you will want to ensure the dessert is as sweet as the wine. Crème brulée is the perfect choice – the creaminess beneath the caramelized sugar top makes it magical with this wine.
Konzelmann Estate Winery – The only lakefront winery in Niagara and wine is at the heart of everything they do. Since it’s most ideal to visit during the icewine festival, you will want to book the icewine tour & tasting. Bundle up, it’s January in Canada after all, to stroll through the vineyards to learn about the history of icewine. The tour finishes off with a tasting of the Vidal Icewine compared to the Late Harvest paired with charcuterie. The Vidal will go down smooth with flavours of peach, orange zest and candied pear delighting your palette pairing well with a strong blue cheese. The Late Harvest is not quite as dense or sugary as icewine, but still offers a sweet taste and impeccably flatters the more robust cheeses.
