About Ice Wine

About Ice Wine
Ice Wine is a dessert wine that is made from frozen grapes that are harvested very late, anywhere from December to early March. At peak, these frozen grapes have at harvest, a water content in which 80% remains as frozen crystals. Fermentation takes months to complete.

Ice wine is made from white and red grapes, primarily Riesling as well as Vidal, while Cabernet Franc is the leading red variety. Most examples of ice wine are still, but there are also sparkling versions produced.

Canada is a major producer of Ice Wine, most notably in the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario and the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Residual sugar is quite high (about 150 grams per liter, similar to Sauternes from France), but since the acidity is usually high, ice wines do not taste overly sweet.

Ideal consumption time is from eight to ten years; these are best enjoyed on their own or with blue cheeses.

Top Picks for Ice Wine

Weis Vineyards 2024 Ice Wine Riesling
97 points
$59
A textbook Riesling ice wine, world class with a seemingly endless finish; this is a serious food wine as a foil for decadent savory food and delivers way above and beyond being simply called a dessert wine.
Awards: '2026 New York Wine Classic - Best Dessert Wine' 2026 New York Wine Classic - Best Ice Wine (frozen on the vine)
Casa Larga Vineyards 2025 Fiori Delle Stelle Ice Wine Cabernet Franc
94 points
$87
Cherries galore with a hint of savory dried herbs, wildflower honey and sun dried heirloom tomatoes,the decadent fruit and electric acidity in this ice wine are sweet and savory at the same time.
Johnson Estate NV Methode Champenoise Sparkling Ice Wine Lake Erie
94 points
$69
Crisp, clean with and packed with zippy red fruit, a natural at the end of a meal, even more exciting as a foil to cheese and charcuterie.
Casa Larga Vineyards 2025 Fiori Delle Stelle Blanc Ice Wine Vidal
93 points
$87
A floral ice wine with notes of Belgian ale yeast, candied pear and potpourri.
Frost Bitten 2023 Ice Riesling
93 points
$15
Best Buy
A vibrantly delicious, lighter, Auslese-style ice wine with lavish honeyed fruit wrapped in a sleek satiny palate.
93 points $15 Best Buy
Johnson Estate 2023 Ice Wine Vidal Blanc
92 points
$49
A delightfully thick and rich ice wine with bright balancing acidity and a delicate savory umami note; this will be great with cheeses.
Bright Leaf Vineyard NV Estate Ice Wine Riesling
90 points
$29
Treat yourself to this rare find as a perfect foil to cheese, savory dumplings or charcuterie and as a decadent liquid dessert.
Johnson Estate 2023 Ice Wine Chambourcin
88 points
$49
Lusciously textured red and black fruit forward dessert wine.