Ice Wine Pairing, Just Peachy

Peach season is in full force in Ontario. Whether picking up a basket from your local orchard, or from your neighborhood grocery store, this stone-based fruit knows no enemies. The  velvety texture and mouth-watering acidity reflect its seasonal freshness. Then, we have ice wine. It’s an excruciating activity to harvest and produce this unctuous dessert wine from frozen grapes. The water content is, of course, frozen, and when pressed, the ice shards are separated, leaving a highly concentrated, super sweet nectar with a peaked acidity waiting to be fermented. This rare gift of the gods results in a spine-tingling sensation of superlatives with elevated prices to match. Peach cobbler will pair beautifully with ice wine, especially Henry of Pelham Family Estate Riesling Ice Wine. The wine’s lively stone and exotic fruit flavours mirror the peach filling of the cobbler while its honey and citrus notes add complexity. The velvety texture matches the cobbler’s smooth filling and the mouth-watering acidity of the wine prevents the pairing from being too heavy. The product of harsh Canadian winters, blends perfectly with one of summer’s delightful fruits. We are blessed to have Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula literally in our backyard. As home to both vineyards and orchards, let us enjoy its provenance.             

Henry of Pelham Riesling Ice Wine 375 ml, LCBO #430561, $49 95