# Riesling Ice wine Juice!



## randomhero (Dec 12, 2013)

Last Thursday I was able to pick up three gallons of Riesling ice wine juice at one of the wineries on Cayuga lake. The wine maker was also nice enough to give me enough yeast to start my culture. He gave me what they use on the wine there which was VI-1.

I started the yeast in about 8oz of water mixed with 10 grams of go ferm. After about an hour I mixed in 8oz of juice. Today is the fifth day of fermentation and I have them in separate buckets the juice in my big pail and the fermenting juice in a smaller 2 gallon pail. The winemaker said to never let the yeast see the 36 brix it started at, so everyday I add some more juice to the smaller bucket.

I'm quite excited to have gotten some actual ice wine juice. Just had to share haha! I'll make sure to keep updating as long as people want me to.


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## novalou (Dec 12, 2013)

randomhero said:


> Last Thursday I was able to pick up three gallons of Riesling ice wine juice at one of the wineries on Cayuga lake. The wine maker was also nice enough to give me enough yeast to start my culture. He gave me what they use on the wine there which was VI-1. I started the yeast in about 8oz of water mixed with 10 grams of go ferm. After about an hour I mixed in 8oz of juice. Today is the fifth day of fermentation and I have them in separate buckets the juice in my big pail and the fermenting juice in a smaller 2 gallon pail. The winemaker said to never let the yeast see the 36 brix it started at, so everyday I add some more juice to the smaller bucket. I'm quite excited to have gotten some actual ice wine juice. Just had to share haha! I'll make sure to keep updating as long as people want me to.



I always wondered how to get the yeast going. Thanks for sharing!


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## randomhero (Dec 12, 2013)

Lol your welcome, I made sure to ask how to do it so I didn't screw up


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## Runningwolf (Dec 12, 2013)

randomhero said:


> Last Thursday I was able to pick up three gallons of Riesling ice wine juice at one of the wineries on Cayuga lake. The wine maker was also nice enough to give me enough yeast to start my culture. He gave me what they use on the wine there which was VI-1.
> 
> I started the yeast in about 8oz of water mixed with 10 grams of go ferm. After about an hour I mixed in 8oz of juice. Today is the fifth day of fermentation and I have them in separate buckets the juice in my big pail and the fermenting juice in a smaller 2 gallon pail. The winemaker said to never let the yeast see the 36 brix it started at, so everyday I add some more juice to the smaller bucket.
> 
> I'm quite excited to have gotten some actual ice wine juice. Just had to share haha! I'll make sure to keep updating as long as people want me to.



If you picked this up last Thursday are you sure this is true ice wine where the grapes were picked off the vines at 18° or colder or is it a faux ice wine. I am willing to bet on the faux ice wine, which is grapes picked very late in the harvest then frozen in a freezer then pressed at a later date.
With that said, either type is exceptional wine and when you taste it you would not be able to tell the difference. I just finished up pressing 1400 gallons of it. The major difference is the faux is very expensive to freeze and sells for about $10 less a bottle.

As far as starting the fermentation goes, what you're doing will work but I would not be doing that myself and I've been making it for about 5 years now. A good strong starter is very important and I do what you did with every wine I make. I add additional juice to the starter every 15 minutes until the temperature is within 10° of the main tank. At this point I slowly add and stir it in. Your main carboy is unprotected and the starter should have been added within several hours of it being started. 

So Randomhero here's the bottom line. You have two professionals telling you different ways to get to home base (except I'm right  Kidding). Isn't that the same thing that happens on this forum everyday. Many winemakers' giving many different instructions all for the same goal. That my friend is the beauty of being a member of Wine Making Talk Forum!


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## randomhero (Dec 12, 2013)

It was definitely true ice wine, the winery had an abundance of grapes on the vine which they were selling on the Cornell cooperative extensions grape classified page. That's where I found it and asked. 

I don't have a real press so he did the pressing for me. 

I figured I would follow his advice since they have a very high rated ice wine.


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## Runningwolf (Dec 12, 2013)

Very cool, and I would have done the exact same thing. hat did they charge for per gallon?


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## randomhero (Dec 12, 2013)

$40 a gallon. Which I thought was fair since fallbright up here that sells grapes and juice in the fall sells late harvest vignoles for $29 a gallon. 

Plus this winery where I got the juice they sell there reisling ice wine for $65 a bottle. But it is delicious ha.


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## Runningwolf (Dec 13, 2013)

Wow $65 a bottle is steep. That's awesome they can get that can price with the competition in the finger lakes. It sells for asking$45 around here and the fuax ice wine about ten bucks less. Last time I bought late harvest wine at walkers I paid $13 a Gallon. Except for concord they have not had it for several years.


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## randomhero (Dec 13, 2013)

Yea I haven't done a late harvest yet. I wanted this year but FallBright sold out too quick.


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## Runningwolf (Dec 13, 2013)

If you ever have the choice, I would go for the late harvest just due to the cost. You will not notice any difference in taste. I will definitely but it again from walkers if they have it t that price again. You know another factor that I did not take into consideration is that you got Riesling and Walkers in the past had Vignoles or Vidal. Riesling for sure would be more expensive. My personal favorite is Vidal.


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## seth8530 (Dec 13, 2013)

I gots to admit, I am a bit jealous of you. I did some looking around and the price of Ice Wine juice can be quite intense. Congrats on the good buy! Now make me some wine!


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## novalou (Dec 13, 2013)

Runningwolf said:


> If you ever have the choice, I would go for the late harvest just due to the cost. You will not notice any difference in taste. I will definitely but it again from walkers if they have it t that price again. You know another factor that I did not take into consideration is that you got Riesling and Walkers in the past had Vignoles or Vidal. Riesling for sure would be more expensive. My personal favorite is Vidal.



Runningwolf, any thoughts on ice wine juice source in NE Ohio?


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## Runningwolf (Dec 13, 2013)

novalou said:


> Runningwolf, any thoughts on ice wine juice source in NE Ohio?



You might check with Chalet Debonne Vineyards in Madison.


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## novalou (Dec 13, 2013)

Runningwolf said:


> You might check with Chalet Debonne Vineyards in Madison.



Thanks, I'll ask. I already buy my local juice from them in the fall.


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## randomhero (Dec 13, 2013)

Just checked the SG, it started at 1.155 and is now at 1.110 after 6 days of fermentation at 62 degrees. 

That's about 6% alcohol as of now, once it gets to 9%, I am going to hit it with some kmeta and put it outside in the cold to stop fermentation. Should I use sorbate too?


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## Hokapsig (Dec 14, 2013)

so the difference between late harvest (faux ice) and REAL ice wines can be separated by:

- real Ice wine must be below freezing for 10 hours (?)
- real Ice wine is naturally sweet and does not need backsweetened (?)

Are there any other differences between a faux and a real ice wine?


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## Runningwolf (Dec 14, 2013)

AHHHH Where did you get that information from. I don't ever remember seeing any part of that posted on this forum.


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## randomhero (Dec 14, 2013)

Well you can freeze any grapes to make faux ice wine...true ice wine has to have the grapes hang on the vine until they freeze..


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## novalou (Dec 14, 2013)

randomhero said:


> Just checked the SG, it started at 1.155 and is now at 1.110 after 6 days of fermentation at 62 degrees. That's about 6% alcohol as of now, once it gets to 9%, I am going to hit it with some kmeta and put it outside in the cold to stop fermentation. Should I use sorbate too?



Normally it is difficult to stop an active fermentation. Cold crashing will make the yeast go dormant. It might start back up once it warms.


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## Hokapsig (Dec 14, 2013)

Runningwolf said:


> AHHHH Where did you get that information from. I don't ever remember seeing any part of that posted on this forum.


 
Not on this forum Dan, but I was reading previous information on other wine websites and speaking to various winemakers. That's why I needed some information (and for the newbies too). I'm always one for asking the stupid questions....


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## randomhero (May 4, 2014)

Just wanted to give an update since it's been so long! 

I put the wine outside to stop it from fermenting which still took forever, tried to stop it around 11% alcohol. But it finished out from a SG of 1.155 down to 1.054. Which is 13.2% abv.

It is quite clear already but still very gassy from being down in the cold basement. I have tasted it along the way and it is already phenomenal. 

Can't wait to get it bottled and ready to drink, which will be a while from now....unfortunately


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## seth8530 (May 4, 2014)

Thanks for the updates. Keep us posted.


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