2012 Pillitteri Cabernet Franc Icewine Reserve Niagara

Icewine is made by harvesting the (over)ripe grapes in frosty weather, at Pillitteri at -8 degrees or colder. Then the grapes are pressed frozen. Fermentation is complex and can take up to 6 months due to the very high sugar content. The yield is very small, usually 10 times less than for a normal harvest. The wines are therefore made in relatively small quantities and the production process itself is expensive. Most of Pillitteri's Icewines, with the exception of the Reserve, are not aged in barrels to preserve the incredible balance between the high sugar content and acidity.