Ice Wine in Canada has a very cool harvest

Canada's icewine producers are reporting a strong harvest following the deep freeze affecting large parts of North America.

The arctic conditions described as a polar vortex which have hit Canada this month are providing the ideal conditions for the 2013 icewine harvest in the Niagara region of Ontario, much needed after the mild winter of last year.

Its has been one of the earliest harvests on record and according to the VQA Ontario wine authority, the province has registered a preliminary grape haul of 6,814 tonnes, which represents the largest harvest in the history of the region.

Icewine regulations mean grapes must be left to freeze naturally on the vine at below minus eight degrees celsius. Grapes are harvested at night and pressed while still frozen. Inniskillin winemaker Bruce Nicholson picked thin-skinned Cabernet Franc and Riesling Icewine grapes as early as 14 December, but the thicker skinned Vidal grapes will be picked later.

Over this side of the Atlantic, Eiswein makers in Germany aren't so lucky with mild temperatures and highs of 15 degrees celsius in some areas.