Ice Wine

When healthy wine grapes freeze on the vine, their sugar content and flavor profiles are intensified and can be made into delicious dessert wines.  Leaving grapes unharvested until after the first frost is risky because the frost has to occur before the grapes rot on the vine.  Grapes must be harvested immediately and pressed. The freshly pressed grape juice is then fermented and made into wine. 

White wine grapes with high acidic flavor are frequently used so that the resultant wine is refreshing instead of cloyingly sweet. Ice wines are usually medium to full-bodied and have an alcoholic content of 7-12%.  They may have delicate aromas of peaches or apricots and often leave honeyed overtones on the palate.  

JULIO’S LIQUORS boasts an extensive selection of wines from all over the world. Our wine team works hard to cultivate a selection that expresses our personality and passions while still offering the gambit of styles to please our customers. Our selection ranges from staple brands to eclectic options and exciting choices of complexity and individuality. For more information about our selection, please call at 508-366-1942 or visit our store at 140 Turnpike Rd., Rt. 9 East. Every Thursday from 7-8pm, Cassandra, our Wine Director, anchors our weekly informative wine tastings. These are free to anyone and serve to spotlight new arrivals, highlight regions or host winemakers. 

HINT: Winemakers in various regions that have regular freezes are experimenting with different wine varietals to create new types of ice wine.