Wondering what Ice Wine is? Well, Ice Wine is extracted from grapes that have frozen naturally over a period of time. This process makes the grapes much sweeter. It originates from Germany, Austria and the Canadian regions of British Columbia and Ontario.
All the varieties of Ice Wine are sweet and dessert wines. You can easily find sparkling ice wine to make great cocktails for your guests, serve chilled ice wine with semi sweet desserts or with spicy and strong flavored foods.
But do you know the perfect way to serve and drink ice wine? Read this blog to make your guests compliment your hospitality before leaving.
Perfect Way to Serve, Prep and Drink Ice Wine
The best way to serve any wine is to have good knowledge about the correct serving temperatures of those wine. It is believed that the right temperature brings out the flavors of the wine in a way that makes it refreshing rather than overpowering.
Ideally, the correct serving temperature of ice wine is 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. The wine can come to this temperature if chilled in fridge for one to two hours before serving to bring out the optimal taste.
Serving wine can be considered an art. Glass makes a difference. Traditionally, ice wine is served in smaller glasses similar to champagne flutes in size. But don’t worry, if you don’t have the specialty ice wine glasses, you can also serve it in white wine glasses.
Since Ice Wine has complex flavors which only come out properly with a little bit of aeration to fully unlock them. It is not considered good if the ice wine sits in the glass for too long. Before taking a sip, it is recommended to swirl the glass to slightly aerate the wine to let the flavors loose.
We suggest you to use an aerator to oxygenate the wine while pouring it, unless you are using sparkling ice wine. Then, the bubbles do the work for you.
Swirl, Sniff and Drink! Just like a Sommelier.
Drinking Ice Wine with Food
The first important thing to know about ice wine is that it does not pair well with main course or “dinner” dishes. Rather, it is best enjoyed with desserts and semi-sweet dishes, also as a part of wine tasting party menu.
These are the best food pairing options to drink ice wine with-
- Fruit Desserts
This is the go-to serving companion for ice-wine. They both complement each other perfectly.
- Goose Liver Pate
There is something special about the savory-sweet combination which makes it incredible for advanced palates. Foie gras and other thick meat spreads pairs perfectly with ice wine.
- Milk Chocolate
Red ice wines pair perfectly with rich milk chocolate as well as white chocolate. Sommeliers recommend that this wine is the most chocolate-friendly wine.
- Blue Cheese
As bad as it smells, Gorgonzola and Roquefort pair well with a glass of ice wine. So if you wish to serve your guest a cheese platter with ice wine, these are the best options to choose.
- Hard Cheeses
As the savory-sweet combination is perfect, the sharp taste of the cheese tends to pair well with the rich sweetness of ice wine. Aged Gruyere is the perfect pick.
