ice wine

i have always liked local eating
long before it hit everyday tredy-land
for me it has always been about taste
you cant beat ontario strawberries
they arent huge
they arent available all year long
but they ARE the best tasting strawberries in the world
still warm from the field sun
picked up on your way to town from the cottage
half eaten before you get em home
the same goes for lots of fruit, veggies and food for me...corn, peaches, maple syrup. etc
i wont buy a peach if it isnt late summer and they arent from ontario
they just dont taste right
the same can be said for ice wine
i live in the greatest place on earth for ice wine...southern ontario
on a recent weekend
a good friend and i spent the weekend in niagara on the lake at the ice wine festival
it was grand
cold
but grand
and the ice wine out of this world
the two that stood out for me where...

Peller Estates
Cabernet Franc Icewine
http://pellericewine.com/products-cab-franc.html
Made of 100% Cabernet Franc. The aroma renders the boldness of ripe red berries with complex notes of spice and the sweetness of rhubarb. Once sipped, the reward is that of an explosion of luscious red berries, delicate, yet complex spice and rhubarb with a lingering finish reminiscent of fresh limes. Pairs well with red fruit based desserts and dark chocolate. Serve chilled at 8-10C

Chateau de Charmes
2006 Vidal Icewine (V.Q.A. Niagara Peninsula)
http://www.chateaudescharmes.com/the_wines/ice_wines.html
5,912 cases produced. Harvested January 17, 2007.
“From Ontario, one of my favourites is Château des Charmes 2006 Vidal Icewine at an affordable $25.95 per 200ml bottle. This Niagara-on-the-Lake beauty has a spicy, honeyed, baked apple, caramel nose along with a fairly viscous, backed apple puree flavour plus a lingering gently tropical caramel-tinged finish. It’s the kind of wine you can have chilled with a foie gras appetizer, by itself or with cheese and/or dessert.”
– Michael Vaughan, Vintgage Destinations, January/February, 2009