Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine Niagara Peninsula

Inniskillin is the name that put Canadian icewine on the world map, and this Cabernet Franc Icewine from the Niagara Peninsula shows exactly why. It is made from red grapes left to freeze solid on the vine and pressed while still frozen — a slow, painstaking harvest that discards the water as ice and keeps only a few precious drops of concentrated nectar. The result is a rare, ruby-hued icewine that is intense, opulent and unmistakably Niagara.

Pour it into a small glass and you’ll meet juicy aromas of strawberry, raspberry and rhubarb that lead into flavours of cherry, candied red fruit and strawberries-and-cream. What stops it tipping into syrup is the bright thread of acidity running through all that sweetness — the hallmark of a great icewine, and the reason every sip finishes clean and lifted rather than heavy.

At a gentle 9.5% ABV, it is a dessert in its own right: serve it well chilled in a small pour, or let it shine beside dark chocolate, a fruit tart, or a wedge of blue cheese. The 375ml bottle is just the size for a memorable glass to close a meal.