Wine has become one of the most popular alcoholic beverages, after beer, in the recent years. Wine has the unique quality to add enjoyment to any meal if paired appropriately. There are many types of wine to match every meal and even desserts, and one such wine is the ice wine.

Ice Wine

Ice wine is produced in wintertime at freezing temperatures. In the case of ice wine the grapes are not harvested at the usual time but instead left to absorb the fall sun and collect as much sugar as possible in due course.

All grapes are covered before the first frost falls to be protected until almost mid winter when the harvest is picked and brought in for producing the ice wine. Due to its high content in sugar, alcohol level needs to be raised in order to kill the yeast and thus, ice wine reaches between 20 and 40 per cent alcohol content.

This extremely sweet delicate wine is served in small quantities for and as dessert only when well chilled. Its strong yet elegant fragrance compliments fruit tarts or other light desserts.

Ice wine originates from Canada though today other countries have adopted this unique technique as well.

Other Dessert Wine

A very popular dessert wine is the port wine, which originates in Portugal. This wine is fortified as well and therefore high in alcohol content – up to 40 per cent. Port wine comes in a great variety and is usually served with strong cheeses. It is made out of a variety of red grapes and not white as the ice wine and therefore has more body and texture.

Wine for any Occasion

The fact is that there is a wine that can compliment every type of meal of the day, besides breakfast. Here is a brief guide to a wine dinner:

* Sherry can be served as an aperitif before the meal begins.
* White wine can be served with the salad and the white meat or fish course.
* Red wine can be served with the main course or red meat dishes.
* Port or ice wine can be served as or with dessert.

While one can make a whole dinner out of wine, it is advised to be consumed moderately both for health reasons and most importantly if too many wines are mixed you will lose the taste and flavor of the different wines. Wine is meant to be enjoyed a little at a time for proper appreciation and to truly enhance the dinning experience.