Sometimes, a little bad luck can be good fortune in disguise. That was certainly the case in the 18th century when a group of hapless German monks left the  bring in grape harvest a little late. An overnight cold snap froze every grape on the vines. Poor monks! Rather than lose their crop, the monks decided to try pressing the frozen grapes and presto! Ice wine!

We’re still benefitting from the accidental invention of those monks. Niagara’s grape growers carefully protect portions of their vineyards from birds with fine netting, allowing the grapes to mature and finally freeze on the vines. This precious crop is picked and processed frozen to create icewine, Niagara’s liquid gold.

In Niagara, we know how to celebrate the icewine harvest in style  – from carving bars out of ice to toasting with frigid ice glasses of the intensely sweet nectar from our frozen vineyards. Events including live music and great food and wine pairing events will be taking place in Jordan, Niagara-on-the-Lake and at wineries across the region throughout January.

Come out and celebrate – but be sure to bundle up. It’s going to be cold!

For specific dates and times, visit: http://wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com/icewine-festival   and www.niagarawinefestival.com

Participating wineries include 13th Street Winery, Between the Lines Family Estate Winery, Château Des Charmes Winery, Colaneri Estate Winery, Creekside Estate Winery, Diamond Estates – The Winery, Fielding Estate Winery, Flat Rock Cellars, Hernder Estate Wines, Hinterbrook Winery, Inniskillin Wines, Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery, Kacaba Vineyards Winery, Konzelmann Estate Winery, Legends Estates Winery, Magnotta Winery, Malivoire Wine, megalomaniac – John Howard Cellars of Distinction, Mike Weir Wine, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Peller Estates Winery, Pillitteri Estates Winery, PondView Estate Winery, Ravine Vineyard, Ridgepoint Wines, Riverview Cellars Estate Winery, Southbrook Vineyards, Stoney Ridge Estate Winery, Strewn Winery, Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery, Tawse Winery, Trius Winery, Two Sisters Vineyards, Vieni Estates, Vineland Estates Winery