Harold Hamersma about IJswijnen.nl
Aktie
An Inconvenient Truth
There will be no white Christmas this year, I hear Robert, the weather and traffic man of the TV program Vandaag de Dag, announce somewhat dejectedly this morning. And the temperatures in the run-up to these two high days also remain 'far above normal for the time of year.' That this is not normal is also experienced by our eastern neighbors. There, their famous Eiswein is becoming an endangered type of wine. In the country of origin, King Winter seems to be losing his grip on the Riesling vineyards that are to be frozen. Rising temperatures are hindering the severe frost…. 'If only Al Gore had never made An Inconvenient Truth, then global warming would not have been so bad', I once heard a producer say with a grimace.
At least minus eight or lower is what is required by the official wine authorities. And now the production of Eiswein is now subject to strict rules, the wine owes its origin to pure chance.
In 1842, a winegrower in the Mosel decided to pick the harvest that he thought had been lost due to a sudden cold snap. He pressed the grapes, leaving the ice crystals (the water…) in the press and got a wine with a beautiful bouquet, very concentrated juice, delicious acids and an unprecedented sweetness in a perfect balance. However, the yield was minimal, and even then the frost did not come on demand. Until 1900, there were only eight harvests in Germany. And even after that, Eiswein could not be made more than two to three times a decade.
Often, January only provides the required low temperatures. Moreover, it is still questionable whether the condition of the grapes is still in order. Eiswein can be produced from ripe, healthy Riesling that the winegrower has left hanging for an extra long time. Some Winterwinzers work with grapes that are affected by noble rot that only occurs in special years. This noble rot causes them to shrink to the size of large raisins, in which the moisture has evaporated.
The smell and taste are given an extra dimension by this. Waiting is expensive. When frost is predicted, the pickers have to be on standby. Sometimes nights go by - picking takes place in the colder, small hours - when the mercury just doesn't reach the required minus eight degrees. And if that is the case, a picker does not pick more grapes than for half a bottle.
Yet all hardships are accepted. Serious winemakers see Eiswein as their magnum opus. Incidentally, Germany no longer has the monopoly. In the Austrian wine-growing region of Neusiedlersee, the coveted noble rot is more common. The temperatures there also reach the required values more regularly. Just like in Kamptal. And that puts some pressure on the price.
Furthermore, some production takes place in Luxembourg, but this rarely crosses the border. In the United States, Oregon and Michigan make some bottles, although nature is often given a helping hand by means of artificial freezing. In Canada, however, this form of vinological cryonics is not necessary. Especially in Ontario, the winters are so severe that Icewine can be made every year. With an annual production of 50,000 cases, the country has even become the largest producer in the world. In the far north, they do not only work with Riesling. The Vidal, a grape originally from France that can withstand the cold well, is popular there. In the meantime, local producers have also managed to seduce Chardonnay.
Despite this somewhat wider range, ice wine is still a rarity. And in this gap in the market, a Dutch wine seller has dived with www.ijswijnen.nl. It turns out to be a collection point for just about every available type. The enthusiast will certainly be enthusiastic about it, although he should not think that this is a bargain site. The cheapest one is € 9.95 and the most expensive € 128.21, per half bottle, that is. The latter is out of stock, however. Already sold out?
There will be no white Christmas this year, I hear Robert, the weather and traffic man of the TV program Vandaag de Dag, announce somewhat dejectedly this morning. And the temperatures in the run-up to these two high days also remain 'far above normal for the time of year.' That this is not normal is also experienced by our eastern neighbors. There, their famous Eiswein is becoming an endangered type of wine. In the country of origin, King Winter seems to be losing his grip on the Riesling vineyards that are to be frozen. Rising temperatures are hindering the severe frost…. 'If only Al Gore had never made An Inconvenient Truth, then global warming would not have been so bad', I once heard a producer say with a grimace.
At least minus eight or lower is what is required by the official wine authorities. And now the production of Eiswein is now subject to strict rules, the wine owes its origin to pure chance.
In 1842, a winegrower in the Mosel decided to pick the harvest that he thought had been lost due to a sudden cold snap. He pressed the grapes, leaving the ice crystals (the water…) in the press and got a wine with a beautiful bouquet, very concentrated juice, delicious acids and an unprecedented sweetness in a perfect balance. However, the yield was minimal, and even then the frost did not come on demand. Until 1900, there were only eight harvests in Germany. And even after that, Eiswein could not be made more than two to three times a decade.
Often, January only provides the required low temperatures. Moreover, it is still questionable whether the condition of the grapes is still in order. Eiswein can be produced from ripe, healthy Riesling that the winegrower has left hanging for an extra long time. Some Winterwinzers work with grapes that are affected by noble rot that only occurs in special years. This noble rot causes them to shrink to the size of large raisins, in which the moisture has evaporated.
The smell and taste are given an extra dimension by this. Waiting is expensive. When frost is predicted, the pickers have to be on standby. Sometimes nights go by - picking takes place in the colder, small hours - when the mercury just doesn't reach the required minus eight degrees. And if that is the case, a picker does not pick more grapes than for half a bottle.
Yet all hardships are accepted. Serious winemakers see Eiswein as their magnum opus. Incidentally, Germany no longer has the monopoly. In the Austrian wine-growing region of Neusiedlersee, the coveted noble rot is more common. The temperatures there also reach the required values more regularly. Just like in Kamptal. And that puts some pressure on the price.
Furthermore, some production takes place in Luxembourg, but this rarely crosses the border. In the United States, Oregon and Michigan make some bottles, although nature is often given a helping hand by means of artificial freezing. In Canada, however, this form of vinological cryonics is not necessary. Especially in Ontario, the winters are so severe that Icewine can be made every year. With an annual production of 50,000 cases, the country has even become the largest producer in the world. In the far north, they do not only work with Riesling. The Vidal, a grape originally from France that can withstand the cold well, is popular there. In the meantime, local producers have also managed to seduce Chardonnay.
Despite this somewhat wider range, ice wine is still a rarity. And in this gap in the market, a Dutch wine seller has dived with www.ijswijnen.nl. It turns out to be a collection point for just about every available type. The enthusiast will certainly be enthusiastic about it, although he should not think that this is a bargain site. The cheapest one is € 9.95 and the most expensive € 128.21, per half bottle, that is. The latter is out of stock, however. Already sold out?