Vin de glace

Vin de glace meaning in wine

Vin de glace is French for ice wine, a sweet dessert wine made from grapes that freeze naturally on the vine and are pressed while still frozen. Freezing separates water as ice, so the juice that flows from the press is highly concentrated in sugar, acidity, and flavor.

The style is risky and low-yielding because healthy grapes must remain on the vine until winter temperatures are cold enough, often around -7°C (19°F) or below. Riesling, Vidal Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and other grapes can produce vin de glace with honey, apricot, citrus, and tropical-fruit flavors balanced by high acidity.