The German ice wine is surrounded by a special mysticism. This naturally sweet specialty has a unique and excellent international reputation. It is made from frozen berries, which must be at least minus 7 degrees Celsius when harvested so that the water in the berries freezes and only a small amount of a highly concentrated must comes out during pressing. The minimum must weight of an ice wine must meet the requirements for a Beerenauslese. Due to climate change, this specialty is becoming increasingly rare, as the grapes ripen earlier and earlier and are usually no longer on the vine until the frost should come, if it comes at all.
In 2018, Werther Windisch produced such an elixir, in this case made from the Gewürztraminer grape variety. With its impressive 202 grams of remaining sugar per liter, the must weight was at the level of a Trockenbeerenauslese. This 2018 Gewürztraminer Eiswein smells of juicy yellow fruits, straw, flowers and honeydew melon. It is breathtakingly concentrated on the palate, the sweetness is very well balanced by the acidity, which is quite high for a Traminer. In the extremely long finale, it is reminiscent of candied fruit, has a floral component, as it is usual for a Gewürztraminer, and despite its density, it also has a lot of grip. An experience!
Enjoy it best with fruity desserts, cakes, blue cheese or simply instead of a dessert.
This noble sweet wine comes from Werther Windisch's conversion phase of several years to organic cultivation (from the 2020 vintage all wines of the estate are certified) and is also produced without the use of animal products, i.e. vegan.
