Konzelmann Winery in Niagara, Ontario Canada
Ah, Niagara. The word conjures up images of huge waterfalls, of casinos, of shopping malls and perhaps even of a Three Stooges routine. For more and more winedrinkers, however, Niagara also brings to mind the delicious ice wines and chardonnays of the Niagara, Ontario wine region. During the 2000 Millennium Cuvee event we spent several hours at the Konzelmann Winery, where we learned more about these fantastic wines.
The Konzelmann family has been making wines in Germany since 1893. Herbert Konzelmann, the owner, explained how he visited Niagara and fell in love with its climate and landscape. The winery is located in Niagara-On-The-Lake, just miles away from the waterfall. With 84 acres, they have plenty of space to experiment with different grape varieties and to perfect their pruning and maintenance techniques.
Konzelmann strives to produce the highest quality product they can. Outside the winery we saw a 40,000 liter tank that was holding next year's fine wine. A new roto-fermenter just inside the door allows them to ferment more evenly. We toured the aging area, full of oak barrels, and looked over the bottling operation. Then it was back to the tasting room for a few samples, often right from the barrel.
The wines were all quite delicious, but we kept waiting to see if the award-winning icewine would be produced. At the end of the sampling, Herbert smiled at us, and said that he would indeed, on this special occasion, pour out some of the icewine for us to try. It was delicious! Liquid gold, they call it, and justifiably so. The icewine is smooth and fruity, with a multitude of peach, pear, and other flavors in it.
The afternoon was great fun, and of course we picked up a few bottles (including the icewine!) to bring across the border to our own cellar.
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All content on the WineIntro website is personally written by author and wine enthusiast Lisa Shea. WineIntro explores the delicious variety and beautiful history which makes up our world of wine! Lisa loves supporting local wineries and encouraging people to drink whatever they like. We all have different taste buds, and that makes our world wonderful. Always drink responsibly.