Strawberry Ice Wine
 

Hello group

The strawberry season here in Denmark is at its height and I am
contemplating a strawberry wine.
Its style should be that of a dessert wine in the sauterne style, so
if anyone has had any experience with something similar Id like to
hear about it.

I am considering concentrating the juice by means of a cryoextracting
technique. I am aware of the usual technique of pressing the frozen
berries, but is it possible instead to use a technique where the
berries are pressed normally and the juice placed in the freezer, and
the skim off ice as it forms on the surface of the juice?

I am aware of all the debates of 100% fruit wines vs. dillution so the
question is if this treatment would lead to a wine that is too
concentrated.
A top-level sauterne is extremely concentrated in flavour - it
virtually explodes in your mouth - and this concentration is very much
acclaimed by the critiques. I therefore think that a strawberry
dessert wine must be very concentrated before it can be said to be too
much.

I am aiming for 11% alc. and sweeting to taste - probably it is
important not to sweeten too much or it will taste of strawberry
syrup.
Is it realistic to obtain 22-23 Brix with strawberry juice and
cryo-concentration alone, or should I expect to add sugar?

I am considering sweetening with the original concentrated juice
instead of sugar - to preserve more of the fruity tastes. Is this a
good idea, or will there be problems with this way of sweetening?

Ill keep you posted on the proceedings ;-)

Martin Olesen
Snoldelev, Denmark