Historically from Germany and Austria, Icewine (also known as Eiswein) is a sweet wine now produced in Canada and China. Grapes are kept on the vine throughout winter, and ultimately the juice shall freeze. After being swiftly gathered and squeezed, the sugar content of these frozen grapes makes for a very sweet wine. Riesling and Vidal Blanc are the primary grapes used in the production of ice wine. Such ultra-concentrated sweet wines can only be harvested when the temperature is less than -7°C or -8°C. At a time of the year when the vineyards are normally buried in a heavy coating of snow, harvesting often occurs overnight.
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