Unprecedented frost helps harvest rare grapes in Austria

The last time ice wine products were collected was 6 years ago.

In 2022, warmer than average temperatures in December pushed back the harvest, but in December 2023, a stroke of luck, unusual for Europe, helped Austrian winemakers. They harvest grapes to produce ice wine – ice wine – under ideal conditions.

In a harmonious combination of frosty conditions and diligent craftsmanship, winemakers from Neusiedl am See and the surrounding areas set out early in the morning to harvest grapes to produce ice wine. It is considered one of the most juicy dessert wines, characterized by a deep, concentrated taste. To make the drink, the grapes are left to freeze on the vine, exposed to temperatures.

Ice wine is a unique product created in special climatic conditions and using scrupulous winemaking technologies. Grapes intended for production must be harvested and processed frozen, which requires a temperature not exceeding minus 7 degrees Celsius. This cooling environment ensures that the water inside the grapes freezes, but the sugars and other dissolved solids do not. The result is a juice that is highly concentrated and often sweeter, which is the very essence of ice wine.

Temperatures fluctuate between late summer and deep winter, so the grape pulp is frozen and thawed again, often many times, before the frozen harvest is harvested in December or January. When producing sweet wine, the grapes must have a lot of acid, which is typical for grapes grown in cooler climates. For example, Chardonnay grapes from Chablis in northern Burgundy are more acidic than those from the southern tip of Macon.

According to Euronews, ice wine is considered an expensive, collectible dessert wine with a rich bouquet. Many experts call this type of drink “dessert in a glass.”

Ordinary grapes turn into liquid gold. It remains on the vine throughout the winter months, long after the traditional grapes have been harvested. These resilient fruits withstand low temperatures, their usual tartness transforming into a natural, concentrated sweetness. The harvested grapes are then frozen pressed, further enhancing the flavor and marking the beginning of the ice wine production process.

According to winemakers, conditions in early December were simply ideal for harvesting this rare drink. The last time red icewein of the Blaufränkisch variety was harvested was six years ago, indicating the rarity of such favorable conditions. The 2023 harvest pleased us with both quality and quantity, promising to be remembered for a long time. As a touching tribute, the Hafners, one of the winemaking families, plan to dedicate their 2023 ice wine to their youngest son, born in April of this year.

It is also reported that in Germany, several frozen grape varieties were collected in Franconia and Baden-Württemberg. However, few German winemakers relied on icewine in 2023: in the six growing regions of Rhineland-Palatinate, for example, only 32 hectares out of 65 thousand were registered for icewine production. According to the Agricultural Chamber of Rhineland-Palatinate, many winegrowers were not confident that they would be able to grow healthy grapes after difficult weather conditions in the autumn and an unfavorable weather forecast.

Let us remind you that earlier Italy lost the lead in wine production to France. According to the International Organization of Vine and Wine, France produced 45.8 million hectoliters of wine in 2023. And the wine market in Europe was experiencing a crisis; winemakers had to destroy surplus products.