🏷️ Eiswein

Eiswein is a sweet wine made from grapes frozen on the vine and pressed while still hard. Eiswein is wine made from grapes frozen on the vine. The German name means "ice wine". It is one level in the Prädikatswein system of Germany and Austria, which ranks wines by grape ripeness. For Eiswein the must be at least as rich as for BA, that is 110–128 degrees Oechsle.

The principle is simple. Grapes are left on the vine until hard frost and picked frozen, often at night or dawn. They are pressed at once while hard. The water stays behind as ice, and a thick, sweet concentrate runs into the juice. A small amount of very sweet juice with high acidity results, and the sugar and acid balance each other well.

Eiswein resembles ice wine made in other countries, such as Canada. It is close to TBA, but TBA uses raisined berries with noble rot. The harvest is risky, since frost may not come. So the wine is rare and costly. It is served in small portions with dessert.