Ice wines (‘vins de glace’) are made from grapes frozen on the vine. We understand they don’t make any in Collioure. Picking the frozen bunches takes place – early morning – at below – 7°C. They then go straight to the press: the must that comes off is extremely concentred in sugar as the water remains frozen in the berries.
Producers: cold countries with brave winegrowers. Alsace, Germany, Austria (Eiswein), Ontario and British Columbia (Canada).
Ice wines are expensive as very few bunches of grapes are left so late in the season, very difficult to pick (mittens and spotlights), delicate winemaking, low yields (8 hl per hectare is good), and the wines... superb and tasty.
Which brings us rightly to Seppi Landman’s Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Vendange Tardive for 230 € (1993). In the end, it makes you hot too...