Naturally made Canadian icewines have won prestigious awards in every major wine competition world-wide over the last 20 years and are now considered to be the world’s most acclaimed dessert wine.  From Canada’s famously cold winters man and mother nature have combined to produce a stunning wine, to-day made according to very strict regulations to ensure consumer satisfaction with a product that is indeed, liquid gold, the envy of the wine-world.

 

Disclaimer – Some Icewines have not yet been approved by VQA Ontario.  The use of certain descriptive terms that are regulated under the VQA Act is subject to final testing and approval by the wine authority.

加拿大冰酒：液体黄金！

The story of Canadian icewine begins just 30 years ago, a time when many new grape varieties were being planted in Ontario, new wineries were developing, and creativity and innovation in winemaking were in the air.  The first experimental icewines were made from a grape, Vidal, that had been developed by the French hybridizer J.L. Vidal in an attempt to create a phylloxera-resistant hybrid plant that would make decent table wine.  Since the Vidal grape has tough skin and ripens late while resisting rot and disease, our winemakers believed it would hang on the vine beyond the normal end of harvest into winter when the grapes would freeze and allow the production of a Canadian version of the German eiswein.  The initial wines were highly successful though made in rare quantities, and many wineries were encouraged to make icewine from Vidal and then Riesling, and before long from many other varietals.

By the 1990’s Canadian producers were making this liquid treasure with regularity and in lucrative commercial volumes and the star status of this nectar was assured world-wide.  Canadian icewine must be made by natural methods with the grapes remaining on the vines until they can be frozen naturally at -8 C. or lower, either very late in the year or even well into the next year.  They are picked, either by hand or machine, while still frozen and pressed while the temperature remains below -8C.  This freezes the water in the grapes while concentrating the sugar and fruit acids in the syrupy liquid that drips from the press, producing a yield perhaps 80% less than for table wine but with juice that will range from 35  degrees Brix to 42 Brix or even higher, virtually twice the sugar level of grapes harvested normally.  Fermentation at this brix level is challenging and usually a slow process, but the resulting wines are worth all of the extra cost, effort, and difficulty involved.

Canadian icewines are generally of modest alcohol, 9-11%, with considerable residual sweetness offset by solid acidity, a balance that guarantees their uniqueness, but it is the special character imparted from grapes harvested beyond their normal prime, dried, withered, with over-ripe flavours, that give icewine its marvelous taste.  Riesling is considered to be the premier variety for icewine, possessing a refined character that takes a few years to show best, but  a delicate and finer wine overall than icewine made from the hybrid Vidal which itself makes a more attractive icewine when young, full of peaches and apricots and honey.  Stoney Ridge Estate Winery continues to make both Vidal and Riesling icewines, award-winning wines of intense aroma and flavour, as well as Cabernet Franc icewine, a ‘red’ icewine that has become very popular as an alternative to the ‘golden’ icewines made from white grapes.  Cabernet Franc provides a lively cherry-red colour with strawberry aromas and taste.  In addition, Stoney Ridge winery was the first in Niagara to make Gewurztraminer icewine, a wine with seductive tropical fruit character, and we have experimented with Chenin Blanc and even barrel-fermented and barrel-aged icewines which tend to show a smoother and more lush finish.  The 1997 barrel-fermented and aged Stoney Ridge Gewurztraminer icewine won the trophy for the top dessert wine at Vinexpo in Bordeaux in 1999.

Naturally made Canadian icewines have won prestigious awards in every major wine competition world-wide over the last 20 years and are now considered to be the world’s most acclaimed dessert wine.  From Canada’s famously cold winters man and mother nature have combined to produce a stunning wine, to-day made according to very strict regulations to ensure consumer satisfaction with a product that is indeed, liquid gold, the envy of the wine-world.

Jim Warren, Founder of Stoney Ridge

Single Bottle Gift Package

Your choice of Stoney Ridge wine tastefully wrapped for that perfect gift.

Cello Bag/Festive Ribbon:                                                                     $1.00 +Price of Wine

Single Gift Box (Black or Red):                                                              $3.00 +Price of Wine

Two Bottle Gift Package

Your choice of Stoney Ridge wines in a sleek two bottle gift box with decorative ribbon.

SR Logo Black 2 Bottle Gift Box:                                                       $2.00 + Price of Wine

Brown and Red 2 bottle Gift Box:                                                      $5.00 + Price of Wine

Wine Cellar Wooden Crate

This stylish gift is attractively presented in a stained wooden 6-bottle wine carrier, adorned with our Stoney Ridge Logo. Add your wine selection for a unique gift.

6 Bottle Crate:                                                                                      $20.00+ Price of Wine

*Suggested wines for above gift packages*

Vidal/Sauvignon Blanc 2005            $10.00              Warren Classic Pinot Noir 2006                      $15.00

Riesling 2008                                     $13.00              Reserve Baco Noir 2007                                   $14.00

Chardonnay Barrel Aged 2007       $15.00               Reserve Cabernet Franc 2006                        $17.00

Chardonnay Musqué 2008              $14.00               Reserve Merlot 2005/2006                               $17.00

Gewürztraminer 2008                       $17.00               Founders Meritage 2005                                  $22.00

Just Rosy! Rose 2008                      $14.00               Proprietor’s Reserve Brut Sparkling              $19.00

Dessert Wine Gift Package

This stylish black gift box with removable lid contains two bottles of dessert wine.  Choose from our award winning Icewines or igluu Late Harvest Wines.  A perfect idea for anyone who loves dessert!

Dessert Gift Box: $3.50 + Price of wine

*Suggested wines for Dessert gift package*

Icewine Vidal 375ml                      $30.00              igluu L.H. Vidal 200ml                         $15.00

Icewine Cabernet Franc 375ml   $50.00              igluu L.H. Cab Franc 200ml               $15.00

Private Label

Personalize your Corporate Gift Package by adding your company logo or seasonal message on a wine label.

Private Label (black ink only): $1.00 + Price of Wine

*Wines available for Private Label*

Vidal/Sauvignon Blanc 2005                $10.00                     Baco Noir 2008                $12.00

*Bottle deposit and applicable taxes are not included in above prices*

For further information or to place an order please contact us at 905-562-1324 ext. 25 & 24, Fax 905-562-7777