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Ice Wine
The first ice wine was produced in Germany in 1794, the result of an accident. Legend has it, the owner of a German vineyard was out of town when he should have been home harvesting his grapes. Upon his return, he and his staff decided to pick and process the grapes anyway. The result was ice wine. At that time, however, it was called “winter wine.” Ice wine remained Germany’s secret until 1962, when it was produced commercially throughout Europe.
To make a “true” Ice Wine, grapes are left on the vine long after harvest and are picked by hand when temperatures reach about 17° Fahrenheit. Winery workers will trudge through the snow in the middle of the night to pick the grapes once it is cold enough. The grapes, hard as marbles, are crushed frozen and only a few drops of sweet juice comes out to be fermented. Now you can see why ice wine tends to be very expensive and usually comes in half-bottles. The best ice wines retain natural acidity even though picked late with high sugars which is why Riesling is one of the best varieties for making Ice Wine. Some wineries are now making Ice Wine from red grapes such as Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Here are some from the Finger Lakes:
Sheldrake Point Cabernet Franc Ice Wine Sheldrake Point Riesling Ice Wine
Lakewood Vineyards Borealis Lakewood Vineyards Glaciovinum
Wagner Riesling Ice Casa Larga Fiori Vidal Ice Wine
Lamoreaux Landing Riesling Ice Lamoreaux Landing Vidal Ice
Heron Hill Riesling Ice Wine Heron Hill Ingle Vineyards Riesling Ice Wine
Hunt Country Vidal Blanc Ice Wine
Late Harvest Wine
Wine grapes are usually harvested at maturity in the early fall for processing into wine. When grapes are harvested, their sugar content or brix is measured; the higher the sugar content, the sweeter the wine will be. Sugar content varies depending on the grape, the year, and the conditions; measurements of 24-27% are common for white grapes like Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer.
When grapes are left on the vine, they start to dry up and they become much sweeter. The brix on late harvest grapes can be as high as 40%. Some late harvest grapes end up almost like raisins because they are allowed to wither fully before harvesting. After harvesting, the grapes are turned into a late harvest wine through pressing, fermentation, and aging. The resulting high sugar content wine tends to be thick, sweet, and very rich; some people find late harvest wine almost cloying because of the sweetness, while other consumers enjoy them.
Fossilized remains of the olive tree’s ancestor were found near Livorno, in Italy, dating from twenty million years ago, although actual cultivation probably did not occur in that area until the fifth century B.C. Olives were first cultivated in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, in the region known as the “fertile crescent,” and moved westwards over the millennia. Beginning in 5000 B.C. and until 1400 B.C. olive growing spread from Crete to Syria, Palestine, Israel, Southern Turkey, Cyprus, and Egypt. Until 1500 B.C. Greece was the area most heavily cultivated. With the expansion of the Greek colonies, olive culture reached southern Italy and northern Africa in the eighth century B.C., then spread into southern France. Olive trees were planted in the entire Mediterranean basin under Roman rule.
In the land of the Hebrews, King Solomon and King David placed great importance on the cultivation of olive trees. King David even had guards watching over the olive groves and warehouses, ensuring the safety of the trees and their precious oil.
Olive trees dominated the rocky Greek countryside and became pillars of Hellenic society. They were so sacred that those who cut one down were condemned to death or exile.
Despite harsh winters and burning summers, despite truncations (the tops cut off), they continue to grow, bearing fruit that nourishes and heals, inspires and amazes. Temperate climactic conditions, characterized by warm dry summers and rainy winters, favor plentiful harvests; stone, silence, and solitude are the ideal habitat for the majestic olive tree. Italy and Spain are now the most prolific producers of olive oil, although Greece is still very active. There are about thirty varieties of olives growing in Italy today, and each yields a particular oil with its own unique characteristics.
Olive Oil Properties
Extra-virgin olive oil is the most digestible of the edible fats: it helps to assimilate vitamins A, D and K; it contains so-called essential acids that cannot be produced by our own bodies; it slows down the aging process; and it helps bile, liver and intestinal functions.
Certain extra-virgin olive oils are blends of varieties of olives; others are made from one olive variety.
Extra-virgin olive oil with perfect taste is oil of the highest quality. Its sensory properties (taste, color, odor, feel) have a rating of 6.5 out of 10, low acidity (1% or less), and is untreated.
Extra-virgin olive oil is produced in all regions of Italy, except Piedmont and Val D’Aosta. The leading producers are Liguria, Tuscany, Umbria, and Apulia. Tuscany produces such a great assortment of extra virgin oils that many do not resemble each other. In Umbria, it is so widely produced that it would be hard to imagine the landscape without the abundance of olive trees. Apulia is home to an impressive one-third of Italy’s olive trees.
The price of extra-virgin olive oil varies greatly. Two factors are influential: where the olives are grown and which harvesting methods are implemented. Certain locations yield more bountiful harvests; consequently their oil is sold for less. Olive trees planted near the sea can produce up to 20 times more fruit than those planted inland, in hilly areas like Tuscany. Extra-virgin oils produced from these trees have higher sensory property scores.
Types Of Olive Oil
Generally, olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives. Olive oil comes in different varieties, depending on the amount of processing involved. Varieties include:
Extra Virgin - Considered the best, least processed, comprising the oil from the first pressing of the olives.
Virgin - from the second pressing.
Pure - undergoes some processing, such as filtering and refining.
Extra light - undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very mild olive flavor.
When buying olive oil you will want to obtain a high quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil. Only the oil that comes from the first “pressing” of the olive, is extracted without using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and has no “off” flavors is awarded “extra virgin” status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as “extra virgin.”
What is pure and light olive oil? “Pure” olive oil is made by adding a little extra virgin olive oil to refined olive oil. It is a lesser grade oil that is also labeled as just “olive oil” in the U.S.
“Light” olive oil is a marketing concept and not a classification of olive oil grades. It is completely unregulated by any certification organizations and therefore has no real precedent to what its content should be. Sometimes the olive oil is cut with other vegetable oils.
How To Care For Your Olive Oil
Resist the temptation to place your beautiful bottle of olive oil on the windowsill. Light and heat are the #1 enemy of oil. Keep olive oil in a cool and dark place, tightly sealed. Oxygen promotes rancidity. Olive oil is like other oils and can easily go rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.
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