Don't let anyone tell you that sweet wines are not worthy enough for your sweetheart. 
As we think about Valentine's Day and the recent completion of our ice wine harvest, sweet wines are on our minds and in our hearts!

In fact, sweet wines are amongst the most expensive in the world. Think of those sweet dessert wines - French Sauterne, Italian Amarone, Hungarian Tokaji - and ice wines produced in Austria, Germany, Canada, and WNY and the Finger Lakes. 

Why so expensive? These wines are made from grapes ripened and frozen naturally on the vine - but only when the temperatures are in the teens - so that the water in the grapes is frozen. The grapes are hand-picked and pressed while frozen, so that the ice is removed along with the skins and seeds. This "second harvest" results in much lower yields from the vineyards - about 50 gallons of ice wine juice per ton of grapes - compared to a normal harvest rate of about 170 gallons/ton.

(Winemaker Jeff Murphy)
Johnson Estate has been producing ice wines since 1995 and has won numerous awards for both its Vidal Blanc and Chambourcin Ice Wines. Very complex and bold flavors are a signature of ice wines, which also have common notes of dried fruit, raisins, and honey.  Ice wines are often considered part of dessert and may be paired with cakes, cookies, nuts and chocolate, but also pair well with Thai and Asian dishes as well as appetizers such as bleu cheese crostini with honey.

LINKS TO LEARN MORE:

    ALL ABOUT ICE WINE
PAIRING IDEAS & RECIPES FOR ICE WINES

GIFT IDEAS - ONE CLICK

Vidal Blanc Ice Wine      *      Chambourcin Ice Wine

Vidal Blanc Ice Wine & Austrian Hazelnuts


Chambourcin Ice Wine & Cinnamon Walnuts

WINERY HOURS -
Sunday-Thursday  10AM - 5PM
Friday & Saturdays 10AM -6PM

   Open for tastings and purchases.   We are happy to take orders by phone.
   Curbside delivery is always available, even in the middle of a snowstorm!  

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