2006 Covey Run Reserve – Semillon Ice Wine Review

If you’re looking to truely discover your palate in 2009, make a resolution to try a few Ice Wines. This is a complex tasting silky smooth textured wine made from frozen grapes on the vine. You’ll find the wine labeled as Eiswein or Ice Wine, depending on if the product is in Germany or elsewhere.

Covey Run creates a Semillon grape, frozen on the vine, and produces a great tasting ice wine. Poured into a glass, the ice wine is a pale gold hue and smells like a pineapple chardonnay with a slight hint of sweet vanilla syrup. The taste is amazing, sweet yet acidic with a slight sour midpalate and a delightful vanilla finish.

This is a relatively low cost Ice Wine, running roughly USD $24.00. This is a Washington State wine which tend to be lower priced compared to the USD $50.00 and up German Eiswein. As the 375ml bottle says, it’s a “desert in a glass” and there is nothing but truth behind the words. Ice Wine is a great after dinner wine, much like a Port wine but less sweet and more complex for your money.

Ice Wine tends to be more expensive because their are low yields to the wine because only the best grapes survive the first frost and only certain vineyards will receive such a frost during the harvest. The sugars and solid materials stay alive and well within the grape as the inner waters freeze. The end result is a highly delightful and tasty wine with concentrated flavors tha burst upon your tongue.

Your taste buds will thank you for your resolution in 2009 — try at least one Ice Wine.