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Icewine is one of the most challenging and extraordinary wines ever produced,a liquid born from winter itself. In this episode of The Wine Lab, Dr. Andreea Botezatu explores how a frozen accident in 1794 became one of the modern wine world’s most coveted styles. We travel from Germany to Canada’s Niagara Peninsula, through vineyards picked at –10°C, and into fermenters battling extreme osmotic stress, soaring Brix, and yeast pushed to its limits.
From the brutal harvest nights to the chemistry of freezing, from osmotolerant yeast to glycerol production, this episode unpacks the science behind icewine’s intensity and the economics, authenticity concerns, sensory profile, and even the best glass to pour it in.
A story of persistence, purpose, and prowess, this is icewine as you’ve never heard it: equal parts science, craft, and the beautiful madness of making sweetness in the dead of winter.
GLOSSARY
Icewine / Eiswein
Wine made from grapes naturally frozen on the vine and pressed while still frozen.
Brix (°Bx)
A measure of sugar concentration in grape must; icewine typically begins above 35°Bx.
Osmotic Stress
The pressure yeast face in high-sugar environments, slowing fermentation and challenging metabolism.
YAN (Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen)
The portion of nitrogen available to yeast; critical in supporting fermentation, especially in high-sugar musts.
Osmotolerant Yeast
Yeast strains selected or bred to survive fermentations with high sugar, low water activity, and strong osmotic pressure.
Glycerol
A fermentation byproduct that increases mouthfeel and viscosity, often elevated in icewine.
Norisoprenoids
Aroma compounds (e.g., β-damascenone) contributing notes of honey, dried fruit, and baked apple.
Monoterpenes
Aromatic compounds responsible for floral and citrus notes, especially in Riesling-based icewines.
Cryoextraction
Artificial freezing of grapes; not permitted in true icewine production.
Residual Sugar (RS)
Sugar remaining after fermentation; icewine typically ranges between 150–220 g/L.
For more detailed wine science checkout my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@Enology_channel
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