Post by Kim & Cheryl Whytock

Icewine Festival February 4&5
“Hear! hear!” screamed the jay from a neighboring tree, where I had heard a tittering for some time, “winter has a concentrated and nutty kernel, if you know where to look for it.”
~Henry David Thoreau, 28 November 1858 journal entry

It’s magical – the Valley was in full “winter bloom” … gleaming white snow-covered rolling hills, etched with reddish rows of sleeping grape vines, set against clear blue skies …a picture post card image.

From atop the slopes that Pete has transformed into Luckett Vineyards, we looked across the rolling countryside to the blue waters of the Minas Basin. Against this backdrop families were sledding down a 500 foot luge run between the vines to an awaiting horse drawn sled – a luxury means to be conveyed back to the top. More »

Looking for a simple way to impress guests? This Icewine Sabayon is amazing – and easy to make.

Ingredients:
4 oz (125 g) (6 yolks) egg yolks
4 oz (125 g) sugar
8 oz (250 g) Nova Scotia Icewine or late harvest wine
1 tbsp (15 ml) Lemon, lime or orange juice

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Icewine to start your morning? Why not – Griff and Caroline don’t seem to mind…

We had a great time tasting Icewine this morning in-studio at KOOL 96.5.

Winemaker, Mike Mainguy, from Luckett Vineyards brought his Isolde Vidal Icewine and Guinevere Iced Apple Wine to sample while we talked about  this year’s Icewine Festival.

Icewine-inspired dinners, vertical Icewine tastings and lots of great outdoor events are planned from February 2-12. Now all we need is some winter weather!

If you would like to listen to today’s interview, click here.

For more information about Luckett Vineyards’ Luge event click here.

Warm Spaetzli and Arugula Salad with crisp shallots and creamy L’Acadie vinaigrette
Local free range Chicken and Spaetzli Soup with fresh herbs
Raclette, served with fingerling potatoes, cornishon, pear, pineapple and tomato
Sticky Toffee Pudding, with caramel sauce and whipped cream

These are just a few of your choices for Domaine de Grand Pre‘s Cheese, Ice and Fire event. In addition to amazing dining selections, finish the evening with Icewine and specialty coffee around the bonfire on their beautiful pergola.
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Although Sip ‘n Shuck is not an official Icewine Festival event, the Winery Association of Nova Scotia will be sampling our local Icewine and talking about all the amazing Icewine-inspired events taking place February 2-12, 2012. It’s a  great way to get ready for 10 days of wine dinners, winery tours and tastings as well as outdoor adventures!

Date: Friday, January 27, 2012
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Delta Halifax, Baronet Ballroom
Cost: $40+HST/ticket
For more information and to buy tickets: Call the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia (AANS) at (902)422-6234 or aans@eastlink.ca.

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Go North Tours is pleased to announce the return of the Perfect Pairings Progressive Dinner and Wine Tour for the Nova Scotia Icewine Festival! The February 4^th date sold out in under a week but there are still seats available for the February 11^th departure. This is a fully escorted wine tour that explores pairing food and wine while enjoying a sumptuous three course meal at three wineries in the Annapolis Valley. This is a very unique event that is perfect to share with your Valentine!

Domaine de Grand Pré will be the first stop on the dinner tour where guests will enjoy a private wine and icewine tasting followed by a delicious appetizer perfectly paired with a glass one of Grand Pré’s award-winning wine!  Once that has awakened the senses, it’s off to Blomidon Estate Winery for a tour of the facilities, a private wine tasting and a mouth-watering main course with two of Blomidon Estate Winery’s exceptional wines featured alongside the meal. The last stop on the tour is Gaspereau Vineyards for a final wine tasting of Gaspereau’s finest wines and then a special dessert for guests to enjoy with one of Gaspereau’s unique dessert wines. The three course meal that is inspired by chocolate and has been created by Red Seal Chef Kerina Dysktra of Let’s Eat Personal Chef Services will amaze the taste buds! More »

From John Warner, Warner Vineyards:
We were just able to finish our Icewine harvest yesterday. It took two cold and chilly nights to harvest approximately 25 metric tons of Vidal ice grapes.

The first night we went out was Christmas Eve and early Christmas morning when the temperature dropped to -11 deg C. Luckily the temperature warmed up by  daylight so the workers had plenty of time to be home for Christmas.

The second harvest night was early yesterday morning (Jan 4, at 3:00am) when the temperatures plummeted to -12.5 deg C and remained there until lunchtime. There was very little snow on the ground during harvest which made harvesting the frozen grapes much easier than our typical late December/early January Icewine harvest. Pressing of the frozen grapes is continuing and we will likely be finished soon.

The resulting Icewine juice is very sweet and thick with some beautiful flavours and aromas. The juice (approximately 4500 liters) is sold directly to local Nova Scotia wineries for fermentation.

Nova Scotia Winter Icewine Festival
February 2 to 12, 2012
Celebrate Nova Scotia’s internationally award-winning Icewines. Sample Icewine paired with local cuisine, learn how Icewine is made, try your hand at pruning or book a Winter Icewine Experience Getaway. Nova Scotia winemakers and some of the province’s finest chefs come together to celebrate their passion for local food and wine during the fifth annual Winter Icewine Festival.

Most Icewine harvests happen at night because the sun starts to melt the grapes on the vine in the morning, diluting the flavor. Icewine grapes need to be harvested at -8C or colder to concentrate the sugars and flavours in the juice, leaving behind the frozen ice crystals. Even the pressing happens in a cold, uninsulated building in the middle of the vineyard.

Nova Scotia Icewines consistently win top honours in national and international competitions. Jost Vineyards 1999 Vidal Icewine was Canada’s Wine of The Year at the 2000 All Canadian Wine Championships.

Other than Nova Scotia ski hill operators hoping to make snow, John and Anne Warner were amongst the few people in Nova Scotia pleased about the cold temperatures last night.

The Warners are the largest producers of Icewine juice in Nova Scotia. From their vineyards on the edge of the north mountain, north of Kentville, their juice is sold to Blomidon Estate Winery, Jost Vineyards, Gaspereau Vineyards and Domaine de Grand Pré. More »