Did you know that Ohio has over 80 wineries, located in five growing regions? or that the state produces a variety of wines, including award-winning Icewines and Rieslings? Learn more about wine from the "Buckeye State" here.
More and more wineries in Ohio are producing icewines in response to increased demand from customers. The sweet, dessert wine originated in Austria and Germany before wineries in Ontario, Canada, also began production. Wineries in the Buckeye State began adding their own icewines to the market just a few years ago.
Icewine can only be produced naturally in cold climate areas. The grapes are left on the vines to freeze. They are usually harvested by hand in mid-December when the temperature drops to about 15 degrees. The grapes are pressed quickly after being harvested, which results in a juice high in sugar density being crushed from the grape because any water inside remains frozen. The process results in a very sweet wine that is its trademark. Because the production process is fraught with challenges, crop yields a