Warming Up to Canadian Ice Wines
As we observed the second anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy and viewed the horrific images of that day, I tuned my television to a program on public television called (IT) Stranded Yanks, which chronicled the compassion and hospitality Canadians showed to Americans aboard international flights, unable to return home because of the closure of U.S. airspace.
So with a sense of gratitude for that neighborliness, it's fitting that this week's topic be Canadian wines. While Canada may never achieve the stature of Napa or Piedmont, it is crafting some interesting and delicious wines, using that same can-do attitude and level of care Canadians showed the stranded passengers on those Trans-Atlantic flights.
Most Canadian wine comes from the Niagara Peninsula. This land between Lakes Erie< and Ontario is fertile and home to the burgeoning Canadian wine industry. Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Riesling, and Cabernet Sauvignon do well there, despite the long, harsh winters. As it turns out, the cold climate is actually responsible for some of Canada's most acclaimed wines.
Ice wine is a highly concentrated, sweet, dessert-style wine produced from grapes that have fully ripened and are left on the vines until the first freeze of the winter. The grapes are then picked, crushed, and fermented. The result is a nectary, fruit laden wine that's rich and delicious. Ice wine originated in Germany, with its similar climate, where harvest and frost sometimes coincided.
France, Italy, California, and Australia also produce quality dessert wines, but they rely on the botrytis fungus, known as "the noble rot." This happens when the late picked grapes, with a high sugar content, are allowed to develop a mold that consumes the tannins and concentrates the juice. Sauternes, the best known and most expensive dessert wines, are made this way.
While Canadian wine production dates back to 1813, the late harvest Riesling ice wines have been on the wine lover's radar screens for a scant 20 years. But those 20 years have been marked by gold medals and top honors at winetastings worldwide.
Finding ice wine in the States is not that difficult, but some of this week's other wines are harder to find. Rather than recommend a particular bottle and vintage, I'm going to recommend the producers and leave it to you readers to do the legwork. Perhaps it's worth a trip north to a Societe des Alcool> du Quebec (SAQ), the entity responsible for the import and sale of alcoholic beverage in Quebec. The stores are well stocked, upscale, full of bargains, and interesting wines.
Inniskillin: This makes a superb ice wine along with a nice Riesling, Pinot Noir, and a decent Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chateau des Charmes: At first taste, this Cabernet Sauvignon presented bitter chocolate tastes with the berry flavors of a Merlot. They use a hybridized French grape called Marechal Foch as a five percent blending agent, giving the wine a strong, Burgundy-style structure.
Cave Springs: This Sauvignon Blanc is very nice with minerals and pineapple taste notes.
Henry of Pelham: I had the Cabernet Sauvignon and it was good. Owned by the Speck family, this winery aspires to be the Gallo of Canada.
Jackson-Triggs: This winery uses ultra-scientific production methods in their quest to produce premium Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.
(bold) Marynissen, Peller Estate, and Stewn Estate: These producers focus their efforts on expensive ($40 for a half bottle) ice wines. Each sip presents peaches and cream, maple taste notes, and juicy pear flavors. Their secret, a blending hybrid called Vidal Blanc.
Thirty Bench: Makers of great ice wine, Pinot Noir, and a decent Pinot Gris.