Austria

One of the hardest tasks in the wine world is the Ice Wine harvest. In the dead of night in December or January, with temperatures well below -8 degrees C, pickers harvest and press frozen berries. The result is one of the most intense dessert wines in the world – but it’s a labour of love.

“Ice Wine production means a financial loss, certainly in Europe,” says Eckart Waitz of Hans Lang estate in Germany’s Rheingau. “In the past the magic low temperatures were more common – many wineries don’t produce Ice Wine any more,” says Waitz.

The one country with a regular supply is Canada (where it is labelled ‘icewine’), cold enough to produce 1-2 million half bottles annually, with 75 per cent from Ontario. There is also an interesting newcomer in the market, China. Up in Liaoning province in northeast China conditions are similar to Ontario.

The hardest part of production is handpicking then pressing the frozen grapes, before they thaw. Freezing conditions concentrate the sugar, acidity and extract – and water in grapes is left behind as ice crystals in the press, resulting in tiny yields of intensely sweet juice which ferments very slowly.

Ice Wine is intensely sweet, but it has a freshness from enhanced acidity and is never cloying or too high in alcohol.

In our tasting, we compared Ice Wines from five countries: Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and China: in Iphofen has oak forests shielding steep slopes to the north and east. Floral notes, intense apricot and caramel fruits, beautifully poised and still fresh despite age; bottled in traditional Bocksbeutel. 10 per cent.

Rheingau: Hattenheimer Schutzenhaus Riesling Eiswein 2010 Hans Lang STAR BUY

Superb effort from Hans Lang estate, now owned by Swiss cheese entrepreneur Urban Kaufmann: poised fruits, vibrant grapefruit acidity and balancing sweetness. 6.5 per cent

Traisental: Riesling Eiswein 2015 Huber

Floral bouquet with caramel and vanilla flavours and a fresh vibrant acidity. Made by Markus Huber southwest of Vienna, with grapes picked on New Year’s Eve at -11 degrees. 8.5 per cent.

Kingsville: Vidal Icewine 2008 Pelee Island STAR BUY

Best balanced Vidal in our tasting, with pineapple and mango fruits, luscious sweet palate and length. From one of Ontario’s oldest vineyards on Pelee island, in western Lake Erie. 9.5 per cent.

Niagara: Cabernet Franc Icewine 2013 Peller Estate

The Pellers first set up in Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, moving to Ontario in 1969. An unusual icewine with pale pink, raspberry flavours, hints of tannin and spice. 11.5 per cent.