Adam Lang ) wrote:
>Ice wine is derived from grapes harvested after the first frost. Depending
>on how cold it gets, the sugar content of the grape increases.

>It is typically more expensive because the longer you keep grapes on the
>vine, the less yield you get, due to bugs, birds, etc.

For real icewine, the grapes are normally left on the vine until
frozen. A single freeze won't do it. Here in central NY (USA),
we leave them on the vine until mid January. It's best to pick
them between 12 and 18F, in the dark, so the sunlight doesn't melt them.

The juice starts out around 50 Brix, but averages out around 40
Brix, by the time we're done pressing. We normally stop it around
20 Brix, if it makes it that far.

Dave
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Dave Breeden