ICE WINES: Mother Nature is the one who decides....

Dear Mother Nature,
Thanks for getting me up so early Thursday morning.  The stars were sparkling over the vineyards as I tromped through knee-deep snow hoping for an early harvest. 

Each winter, we watch the long-range weather forecasts to see when you will bless us with several "cold-enough" days (that means 12-15 degrees!) to crystallize the juice in the grapes we net for ice wine.  Earlier this week, it began to look promising, and we'd sent out the "Ice Wine Harvest Alert" to all our hardy volunteers. 

So, on Thursday, well before dawn, I stopped in the midst of the snowy Chambourcin vineyard to check on the state of the grapes set aside for ice wine.   When I popped a grape berry into my mouth, it was slushy.....but not yet crunchy.  A no go......not cold enough.  Then I had to text the volunteers:  "stay in bed!".

So, back to watching your weather.  In the meantime, and for all of the regular folk too, here's a link to an article on ice wines in the most recent issue of Edible Western New York.  Publisher, Stephanie Schuckers Burdo, was with us last December and took that photo of me hauling a crate full of Chambourcin; then she put the camera down and helped with the harvest! 

Sincerely,
Fred Johnson, A hopeful vignernon