Salut/Hi El Capitan,

le/on Sat, 18 Oct 2003 18:49:25 -0500, tu disais/you said:-

>> Cidre de Glace. Made in Quebec, by a process analogous to Eiswein.
>>
>> Interesting, even intriguing, but does not come close to the
>> complexity of an ice wine.
>>
>> Mike
>
>Oh, please. Like you can have any of your tastebuds functional after
>the extreme sugar hit of an icewine.

From what you say here, El, you've never had a top class Eiswein. At a
recent exhibition of world class sweet wines (last summer - thanks Michael
P) Iniskillin were showing their ice wines, next door to Ch Yquem btw. How
to put this......? Let's say that the balance left something to be desired,
when compared even to other eisweins tasted during the week.

> Those things run at a brix level of around 36-46.

So what? If the fruit and acidity are in harmony with the sugar the wine
never tastes cloying.

> Sugar cane juice averages less than 20 brix.

Again, so what? Firstly sugar cane juice isn't particularly sweet, and it
is totally (ahem) without any acidity. You might as well criticise beef
because you don't like lentils. Both contain lots of protein!

>Not a fan of eiswein...

I have to admit that although I feel you've been unjust on eiswein, I don't
regard it as the summum of achievement in sweet wines. In fact I'm at
something of a loss to explain to myself why they seem to be a major topic
of conversation so often. I guess it must be some kind of fascination with
price. They're expensive, sure - mainly because they're extremely rare.
Personally, I don't think their price is concommitant with their quality,
which is no better (IMO) in terms of balance, depth and length of flavour
than an average trockenbeerenauslese. A top trock, a top Tokaji Aszu beat
them into a cocked hat for balance and above all for subtlety, while a top
Sauternes or Monbazillac has the edge for refinement.


--
All the Best
Ian Hoare

Sometimes oi just sits and thinks
Sometimes oi just sits.