Joe and Susanna Florio couldn’t think of a better way to kick off the weekend than getting together with their friends from across Ontario in Niagara to enjoy food, wine and each other’s company.
This idea set the stage for Joe Florio and his wife, Susanna, to invite four friends from Cambridge and Etobicoke for a tasty adventure, touring more than a dozen of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s wineries.
The six of them took part in the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival’s Icewine Discovery Pass last weekend, part of the seasonal celebration in Niagara of icewine season.
The pass lets visitors explore Niagara’s wineries with curated pairings of signature icewines and complementary dishes, highlighting Ontario’s role as the producer of 90 per cent of Canada’s icewine.
Being the market lead in the category, Ontario produces 80 per cent of the whole world’s icewine too, as stated on Pillitteri’s website.
Seventeen wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake participated this year, several of which the group of friends got to visit this weekend.
Joe Goiaz, one of Florio’s friends, said it was a “fun Sunday.”
The group began at Reif Estate Winery, known for its pulled pork, then stopped at Inniskillin, Marynissen and Konzelmann, all of which impressed. Peller Estates wowed with churro fries and roasted icewine marshmallows — a treat they missed last year due to poor weather.
While they were disappointed by one of the wineries’ reservation policies, they ended on a high note at Wayne Gretzky.
What Florio loves the most? Niagara, in a sense, owns the word ‘icewine.’
“It’s like if you want Cognac, you have to get it from Cognac, France — everybody else calls it brandy,” he said.
“It’s beautiful to see the turnout,” he said, adding how the group plans to make this an annual tradition.
“It’s something to look forward to every year,” said Californian Susanna Florio.
“The process of the icewine-making, it’s just really interesting. California — they don’t have that.”
Icewine is a sweet dessert wine crafted from grapes frozen on the vine, with Canada being its largest producer in the world.
From Canadian comfort with poutine at Konzelmann to Mexican flavours at Jackson Triggs and Japanese-inspired dishes at Pillitteri, the wineries offered a global culinary experience this year.
Konzelmann Estate Winery
Not only does Konzelmann bring to the table expertise from Germany — the birthplace of icewine — but they bring international acclaim too. Its icewine was the first Canadian wine to be featured in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2008.
So, they know a thing or two about icewine and how it could be complemented by some eats.
Indoors, Konzelmann offered a sweet and spicy vegetarian twist on poutine this year, featuring crispy fries topped with cheese curds and a tangy maple Thai chilli sauce made in-house, paired with their 2023 Vidal icewine. A mixed berry sparkling hopped water mocktail was available too.
“I enjoyed it,” said wine consultant Kenzie Montague. “It’s a little different. It adds some spice to the sweetness of the icewine, so it balances it out really nicely.”
Montague said Konzelmann wanted to stand out with their food pairing, especially during the Discovery Pass, when visitors experience so many wineries back to back.
Attendee Rebekah Wegener said her focus was on the icewine, with the food serving as a delicious, complementary addition.
“It was a bonus,” she said.
Jackson-Triggs Winery
Jackson-Triggs took the fun outdoors.
Although most guests stayed inside, they served beef birria nachos topped with queso fresco and a zesty salsa verde — a burst of fresh, but spicy flavours.
The Mexican dish, selected by the on-site chef in collaboration with the winemaker, was paired with the 2023 Vidal icewine to balance the heat.
A rosé peach sangria mocktail and vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options were also available. Reservations were required.
The team evaluated their two icewines: Cabernet Franc and Vidal.
Understanding the flavour profiles of both, estate chef Amber Dufton knew just what to do, said Doug Spence, estate coordinator.
Most icewines are harvested in the early hours of the morning and at the minimum temperature of -8 C, with a sweetness-to-acid ratio of about 80-20.
But Jackson-Triggs (and Inniskillin) wait until the temperature drops to -10 C or -11 C, when the grapes are fully frozen.
This makes for a more balanced wine, with a closer 50-50 sweetness-to-acid ratio, he said.
“As a more balanced icewine, it will cut through the flavours and accompany the flavours better,” said Spence.
Jackson-Triggs saw a successful weekend. With nearly 500 people attending just on Saturday, they received many compliments and thanks from visitors who appreciated the pairing.
“The reaction has been really, really good,” said Spence.
Pillitteri Estates Winery
As the largest estate producer of icewine in the world, Pillitteri knew they had to create something unforgettable.
“It all started out with icewine,” said tasting rep Laura DiBenedetto, adding that Pillitteri alone produces 20 per cent of the world’s icewine.
Pillitteri’s journey began in 1988 when Gary Pillitteri, drawing on his viticulture background, crafted a successful bottle of Vidal icewine which inspired the family to shift from fruit farming to winemaking, opening their winery in 1993.
They presented a unique pairing of sushi — one spicy salmon, one tuna and one vegetable roll from Danny’s Sushi — with their 2016 Pinot Noir icewine and the 2016 Reserve Vidal icewine, creating a balance of sweetness and heat.
At the indoor experience, a BarrelHead ginger soda mocktail and vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options were available.
“There’s only two wineries in the world that make a Pinot Noir icewine,” said DiBenedetto.
The reason is Pinot Noir grapes are fragile, making it difficult for them to survive the winter freeze needed for icewine production.
Sushi pairs well with icewine because it has three key components: Sugars, acids and freshness, said retail manager Connor Hertel, who — along with other managers, the winemaker and the family — was involved in selecting the pairing.
The spicy salmon balances the sweetness of the icewine, the fatty tuna complements the acidity and the vegetable enhances the freshness, he said.
“It’s fun to have people … step out of their comfort zone a bit. You don’t think of sushi and icewine everyday,” he said. “I’ve heard a couple times that we’re the best one.”
Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery
When deciding where to end off for dessert, Joe Florio and his group felt they had to go for a Canadian classic.
Wayne Gretzky had an indoor decadent pairing of a Vidal icewine butter tart with raisins infused with brandy and a Vidal icewine.
If preferred, guests could have vegan brownies, gluten-free tarts or a seasonal sparkling juice mocktail instead.
Host Gord West said guests can either match the intense sweetness of an icewine with their pairing, or oppose it.
To fully appreciate icewine without being overwhelmed by its sweetness, West said tasters should tuck the tip of their tongue (the sweet receptor) behind their lower teeth before sipping.
This lets one taste the broader flavours — like tropical fruits, marmalade, apricot, mango and vanilla — before the sweetness hits.
On subsequent sips, the balance of sweetness and acidity will become clearer.
As for the choice of butter tart treats at the winery, West said few pairings reflect Canada’s culinary identity better than a butter tart complemented by icewine.
“When people ask you what a typical Canadian food is, a butter tart is a typical Canadian food,” said West.
The Discovery Pass ran every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., finishing up on Sunday, Jan. 26.