Best Ice Wines

Ice wines are produced all over the world, and have become a specialty product of many regions - particularly the Niagara region in Ontario Canada (in the areas just north of Niagara falls). Long a local favorite, wine-drinkers around the world have begun to discover these delicious and sweet dessert wines that can only be grown in certain regions, and with select varieties of grapes.If you have never tried ice wine, or are hoping to expand your knowledge of this specialty wine, check out this list of 10 of the best ice wines available now! Their quality and flavor have impressed even the most discerning wine experts in the world.

Reif Estate Vidal Icewine

The Reif Estate Vidal Icewine is one of the most established and popular Canadian ice wines in the world. This staple has been bottled annually since 1984, and has been praised world wide for its unique flavor.

Connoisseurs love the Reif Estate ice wine for its unique flavour, which is said to be something like apricot, jam, and honey. This sweeter option became popular even before ice wines in general began to heat up the market, and Reif Estates truly helped to establish a name for the Niagara, Ontario region as one of the world's best sources of ice wine.

The Reif Estate Vidal ice wine from 2007 has been widely praised as one of the best years for this VQA wine, and makes a wonderful dessert wine and one of the best ice wines.

Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine

The Vidal grape is one of the most popular for growing ice wine in Ontario. The thick skin allows for a late, frozen harvest, and is used extensively in ice wine making. Inniskillin has taken full advantage of this hearty grape to create an ice wine offering that has been praised as one of the best ice wines in the world. Inniskillin uses Vidal grapes in all of their ice wine production, but offers two varieties - oak aged, and not oak-aged. Both are world-famous for their hints of mango, and taste of fresh fruit. You've likely tried Inniskillin before and know their VQA wines to be one of Canada's best offerings. So, why not trust them with your first taste of ice wine?

Lakeview Vidal Ice Wine

Lakeview ice wines are popular among the world's most discerning wine drinkers, and top out as some of the world's best ice wines time and time again by reviewers. Made with the famous Vidal grapes, Lakeview's ice wine is praised for a fruity, lemon flavor that is also said to contain notes of honey.

Lakeview is one of the best-for-the-value ice wines available, bringing you high-quality taste with an affordable price. Lakeview wines pair perfectly with fresh fruits, cheeses, and charcuterie, meaning it is the perfect ice wine to sample if you're attending an event or hosting a dinner party. It also makes the perfect pairing for an after dinner desert, so be sure to pair your next menu accordingly!

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Kerner Ice Wine Oldfield Series (2013)

If you're looking to try one of the most highly-praised, best ice wines available, consider the Tinhorn Creek Vineyards ice wine. The 2010 and 2013 vintages truly made a name for the Tinhorn winery, and it has now become a staple for ice wine enthusiasts.

Made with Kerner grapes, you certainly won't be disappointed with the unique flavors in this ice wine, which is slightly less sweet than many other varieties. The 2013 vintage, in particular, makes the perfect bottle for a gift or for a special occasion. Tinhorn ice wines do come with a hefty price tag, but as they say, you get what you pay for.

Megalomaniac Coldhearted Riesling Ice Wine (2007)

Megalomaniac offers more than just a great name and one of the best ice wines. You've likely tried their brands of standard reds and whites, but Megalomaniac is also one of the most esteemed ice wine vintners in the world! Riesling grapes are on the signatures of the Niagara region, and is a unique choice for ice wines. The result is an ice wine that is a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, praised for beautifully balanced flavors. The great price tag and beautiful bottle makes Megalomaniac a perfect gift for anyone hosting a dinner party.

Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Gewürztraminer Ice Wine (2007)

This ice wine from Jackson-Triggs is truly a dessert wine - perfectly paired with sweet indulgence foods like cheesecake and crème brûlée that are sweet, but not purely flavored with sugar.Each year, Jackson-Triggs presents a new ice wine offering, but this staple from 2007 is truly what made their name in the ice wine world and as one of the best ice wines. Unlike many wines, these grapes are ages in steel containers - so no oak-y taste is introduced to cloud the exotic fruit flavors.

Hunt County Vineyards Vidal Blanc Ice Wine (2007)

The Vidal grapes used in the famous Hunt County Vineyards Blanc ice wine are never thawed, and pressed frozen for a unique taste and fruity blend. Left on the grapes for months after a typical harvest, this risky crop is prone to freezing, but so worth the risk.

Praised for very bold flavors, Hunt County's ice wine selection isn't for everyone, with some finding the taste a little strong. But perfectly paired with a charcuterie platter, or with a semi-sweet desert, Hunt County's pride and joy is the perfect accent to any meal.

Dr. Loosen Riesling Eiswein (2012)

Dr. Loosen's Riesling Eiswein is made in Germany, and one of many wonderful ice wines (or Eisweins) produced there. Loosen has set a world standard with this complex variety of ice wine - praised for sweetness balanced by acidity for a perfect fruity dessert wine that doesn't overwhelm the drinker with sweetness.

As for one of the best ice wines, this wine has a very low alcohol concentration, so it is a perfect sipping wine to enjoy for a long evening of after-dinner conversation. Also, great for those who tend to get a little too drunk too quickly when enjoying wine.

Open Vidal Ice Wine (2007)

If you love sweet wines, the Open Vidal ice wine is one of the best ice wines and is the perfect offering for you. Praised for a taste of orange pekoe tea and for notes of apricot and honey, this staple from the Niagara Lake region is a very unique selection.

Some drinkers find this to be the perfect wine to have if they are looking for a single glass, considering the intensely sweet flavour. Those who find most wines unpaletable may start to develop a taste after sampling the 2013 Open Vidal.