Description

The Enology and Viticulture Students made this beautiful Ice Wine in Washington State due to the conditions that hot summers to cool snowy nights have in our grapes, producing rich flavours and high residual sugars. Additionally, the well-drained loess soils over basalt rock, gives complex minerality to this wine. This style of this dessert wine comes from Germany named "Eiswein." Students at College Cellars made this vicious and sweet-tart dessert wine from Merlot Grapes grown in our Estate Stan Clarke Vineyard.

Wine Profile

Food Pairing Notes:

This dessert wine has an outstanding balance between sweetness and acidity! Pair this wine with intense desserts such as Tropical fruit Cheesecakes, Peach Panna cotta, or surprise your guests by pouring this wine over vanilla ice cream or as an aperitif with a slice of stinky cheese; you will not regret it!

Production Notes:

The Merlot was handpicking by Enology & Viticulture students. The temperatures must drop to freezing temperatures. Temperatures were below -7°C (19°F) at harvest. The grapes were hanging on the vines during till late October and harvested when sugar levels were very high. The winemaking process goes through crushing and pressing the grapes while they are frozen. The juice is slowly fermented for a few months until the wine is harmonious and well-structured.

Tasting Notes:

The intense orange color is derived from the skins of the Merlot grape, making this wine distinctive and unique. Bright fruit flavors and aromas of orange peel, ginger, pineapple, and passion fruit tart are complemented by subtle notes of tropical fruits on the palate. This dessert wine finishes with silky textures with a tart-sweet finish!

Vintage Notes:

Despite the cold weather conditions, and challenges, growers and winemakers were very excited about the quality of fruit they picked in 2019!. Overall, temperatures across the growing season were slightly above 20-year averages, not as the highest temperatures exposed it before. The cold temperatures delay the ripeness of the grapes of this grapes. Therefore, it creates a lighter style of wine.