According to the groundhog, there are 6 more weeks of winter:  At this point, we might as well embrace it. What better way to celebrate our Tundra-like climate than with a glass of wine? Perhaps appropriately, ice wine.

This weekend is Toronto’s 2nd annual Ice Fest which celebrates over 40 local wines, 15 of which are Ontario’s finest ice wines. Famously, Canada is a world leader in ice wine, known for producing the most bottles of this delicious dessert wine – (This is why you always see bottles in Duty Free beside the ‘I heart Canada’ T-Shirts).

Sweet, fruity and sometimes tart, I find ice wine garners the same reaction as brussel sprouts: You either love it or you hate it.  With a raspberry mouse, apple tart or a strong cheese (Gruyere or Emmentaler), a small glass of dessert wine works perfectly.  Small servings of ice wine are appropriate (too much can be overkill), hence why it is sold in small bottles and served in intentionally small stemware.  (Companies like Riedel have many great options for stemware from big round red glasses to crystal tumblers.)

I wouldn’t bring a bottle of ice wine to a dinner party unless I knew the host is a fan. (I was given a bottle months ago and it still sits in my wine cupboard…and will probably stay there for awhile.)

There are many different brands of fabulous Ontario ice wine: Mission Hill, Inniskillin and Jackson Triggs to name a few. Pillitteri Estates is Ontario’s largest distributor of ice wine and has at least 5 different SKU’s at the LCBO.

The average 200mL bottle of ice wine will cost you about $30 at the LCBO but will last you awhile due to the small serving size. If you aren’t sure which side of the ice wine fence you sit on, head to Liberty Village this Saturday for the 2nd annual Ice Wine Fest Toronto and find out!

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