The Good: From taste to price, I have a ton of praise for this surprising little wine. I snatched the bottle off the shelf of a local Whole Foods last year. And, instantly forgot about it. My expectations were low given the insanely low price. I’ve never seen an icewine at this price (purchase price somewhere between $15-$20… I can’t remember). Then, I found this bottle hiding on the wine rack. I’ve sampled Pellar Estates, Chateau des Charmes, Inniskillin, Hillebrand, and a couple other less noteworthy. All were over $40 and most were over $70.
First impression: Candy Apple… if that apple were a green apple dipped into a perfectly golden brown caramel candy coating
Then, I taste green apple drowning in sourwood honey. And, finally more complex fruit flavors shine through… sweet apricot, floral honeysuckle, melon, and the ever-present background of sweet syrupy honey with just a hint of barely burnt caramel. The sweetness lingers on your lips long after the wine is gone. Mmm…
The Bad: I notice more late-harvest vidal taste, texture and flavor characteristics than those of the more powerful icewines. But, this isn’t a true negative for me. I like the slightly lighter characteristic of this wine… a LOT. Even so, as an icewine there is plenty of sugar here.
