Canadians didn’t invent icewine, but we sure perfected it. A notable achievement, considering this sweet elixir is one of the riskiest, toughest, and most labour-intensive wines to make. Healthy grapes must be frozen on the vine, then hand-picked and pressed within a matter of hours, squeezing out those sweet, valuable, and industry-scrutinized drops.
Niagara is Canada’s largest wine region, famed for its Riesling and Chardonnay. As in B.C.’s Okanagan and Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, the seductive allure of life among vines has led to a boom in wineries and first-class restaurants. Niagara, blessed with ideal climatic conditions created by Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment, feels like a fat grape bursting with goodness. No wonder other varietals are making their mark: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Baco Noir, Sauvignon Blanc.
Canada’s Best Wine
After a humble start, Canadian wines now compete on the world stage for quality and taste. Angela Aiello, a wine expert, wine writer, and founder of the popular social wine club iYellowWine Club, (iyellowwineclub.com) raises a glass to her Top 10 Canadian wines:
My Segway rolls gently along rows of Cabernet Franc as Daniel Speck, one of three brothers behind Henry of Pelham Estate, explains the magic. Warm wind rolls off the lake and gets trapped by the escarpment, circulating to allow grapes to reach their full potential. Among some of the healthiest vines I’ve ever seen, he points out the wind machines that have revolutionized wine in the region. Essentially stationary helicopter turbines, the blades suck in warm air from higher altitudes, rotating it across the vines to prevent devastating frost in emergencies. It all helps with the consistency needed to produce quality product, and to further Canada’s claim as a major winemaking country.
Segway tours, offered at the estate, scoot between vines as I learn about Henry of Pelham’s long history and the brothers’ devotion to their craft. It makes the icewine tasting back in the dark, cool cellars all the more enjoyable. Niagara introduced the world to a Cabernet Franc icewine — light ruby-red heaven. The first drops on my tongue explode with notes of sweet strawberry jam. The Riesling is more complex, departing with a citrus aftertaste. Vidal, a sturdy grape that is the most popular icewine variety in Niagara, is a pounder, a deliriously delicious full-frontal assault of velvet.
“We need to think of icewine as a condiment, a side dish,” explains Daniel. “It should be enjoyed at the start of the meal, paired with spicy and salty dishes, or just enjoyed as dessert on its own.” Drinking icewine after a rich, sweet dessert can throw your appetite a life vest made of concrete. Icewine before lunch, on the other hand, is rather decadent, so I head off to Beamsville’s Good Earth Restaurant and Cooking School, driving past rows of grapes basking in the sun. My wine philosophy is simple: the bottle is never as important as whom you’re sharing it with — in this case, Good Earth’s firecracker owner-operator, Nicolette Novak.
Having grown up on the farm before chasing adventure in the city, she moved back to open the region’s first cooking school, creating an intimate space in which to pair her favourite things: food and wine. Today the restaurant attracts both locals and visitors, who are drawn by her exceptional dishes, such as house-smoked salmon with homegrown asparagus on flatbread and a lobster and shrimp burger. There’s also the orange-hued romantic ambience to be enjoyed under the summer umbrellas; the terrific service; aromas wafting from the open-plan outdoor kitchen; and great musical performances by local artists. Good Earth’s wit, candour, and laughs dispense with wine’s traditional haughtiness — a reminder of the importance of soul on any plate and in any glass.
Karen’s Ice House Slushy Recipe
Icewine is magical to share, and here’s a fantastic recipe to spread the love around. Since I discovered it, it’s become my go-to at dinner parties.
6 to 10 ice cubes
200 mL Vidal icewine
Blend, adding ice cubes until frothy.
Toasts 8 to 10
After stopping off at Inniskillin, Canada’s most famous icewine producer and its earliest pioneer, I pull into a small operation called Ice House, run by Jamie Macfarlane, one of the world’s most experienced icewine makers. “Life is too short for cheap wine” reads a sign hanging at the door, a reminder that the cost and difficulty of making icewine justify its expense. I’m greeted by Jamie’s wife, Karen, beaming with pride at her products. She pairs my tastings with wasabi peas, lime-chili chips from Australia, and dark chocolate. The rich flavour of Macfarlane’s icewine explodes on my tongue, revealing complex flavours: a dazzling meal for my senses. “Icewine is the sweetest kiss,” muses Karen, who sealed her own wedding to Jamie with a mouthful of icewine. “It asks you, ‘Are you special enough to enjoy this?’”
I leave Ice House sipping on a refreshing icewine slushy, the perfect accompaniment to a hot summer day, and wonder how far I can take it. At Peller Estates, one of Niagara’s largest wineries, you can take it very, very far, indeed. In the award-winning, family-run estate’s restaurant, I start with an icewine cosmopolitan. The meal begins: foie gras, tuna tartare spiced with Cabernet Franc icewine, and green bean salad with truffles, paired with Ice Cuvée Classic, Peller’s sparkling wine, topped with icewine for sweetness. Next, icewine-poached lobster-stuffed ravioli, heritage beef served with quinoa and dried berries (rehydrated with icewine, of course). Each course is paired with an excellent Peller wine, building up to the finale: a glass of Signature Series Vidal Icewine. I hold the smooth liquid on my tongue, letting its acidity bloom.
Icewine’s freezing origins somehow warm the soul. For its distinctly Canadian flavour — encompassing its food, wine, and people — visiting Niagara’s wine region is easily one for the bucket list.
START HERE: canadianbucketlist.com/Niagara