Inniskillin Riesling Icewine (37.5cl, 9.5%)

Inniskillin Riesling Icewine is a Canadian dessert wine from the Niagara Peninsula, made entirely from Riesling grapes frozen naturally on the vine. It comes in a 37.5cl half-bottle at 9.5% vol. Under VQA rules the grapes must reach at least 35° Brix and are picked only when temperatures fall to -8°C or below. They are pressed while still frozen and fermented without oak, which keeps the Riesling acidity in the foreground against roughly 219 grams per litre of residual sugar. The nose brings lemon and lime zest, peach, dried apricot, honeycomb and candied ginger. On the palate come apricot jam, poached peach, pineapple and mango, with a lively acidity that keeps it taut rather than cloying. The finish is long, with kumquat, toasted walnut and ginger-spiced honey.