NY Ice Wine & Culinary Festival Celebrates Winter & Wine on February 13
The 8th annual New York Ice Wine & Culinary Festival will take place on Saturday, February 13 at Casa Larga Vineyards, 2287 Turk Hill Road, Fairport, NY 14450. The festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., showcases wineries from across the state that produce the delicacy called ice wine in the traditional manner. Ice wine and its creator – winter – are at the forefront of all the activities: from tastings and infused cuisine to sleigh rides and cocktails.
Ice wines at the festival are made in the traditional German eiswein method of leaving grapes on the vine through the winter months to freeze. This natural process of freezing is a high-risk, high-reward undertaking for the wineries. Freezing reduces the amount of water in the grapes, producing a sweeter, more concentrated juice when they are pressed.
“Our goal in hosting this festival each year is to celebrate one of New York’s most delicate and prized wine – ice wine,” says Andrea Colaruotolo-O’Neill, Director of Marketing at Casa Larga. “New York is one of the few regions of the world that can produce this wine in the traditional method.”
Makers of traditional ice wines will be there: Barnstormer Winery, Casa Larga Vineyards, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, Leonard Oakes Estate Winery, Mazza Chautauqua Cellars and Schulze Vineyards & Winery.
Guests can enjoy traditional ice wine samples from the New York State wineries, Valentine-themed foods infused with ice wine and outdoor activities. Inside the winery, guests will also have the chance to taste non-ice wines as well as beers, ciders and spirits, and sample and shop for goodies from exhibitors around the large ballroom. All festival purchases are available upon exit at the shopping valet. Outside, they wait in the “Luv Shack” warming tent for the horse drawn sleigh rides through the vineyard. The Luv Shack is also filled with an ice wine cocktail luge, hot chocolate and mulled wine.
Take home ideas for how to make ice wine cocktails in the upstairs seminar. Ice wine infused foods are Valentine-inspired samples created by Chef Autumn Geer of Brick City Catering and desserts by Chef Lindsay White of Artesano:
Amore Insalata: Arugula with Blue Cheese, Craisins, Candied Pecans, and an Apricot Ice Wine Vinaigrette
Long For You Bisque: Baked Potato Soup finished with a Red Chili Oil
Fond Of You Pasta: Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus made with a Red Pasta and finished with Parmesan Cheese
BBQ Sweetheart Panino: Smoked Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Ice Wine BBQ Sauce, Topped with an Ice Wine Slaw, and served on a Brioche Bun
Cherry and Goat Cheese Cream Perfetto: Parfait with Chocolate Cake, Goat Cheese Cream, and Dark Cherries reduced in a Cabernet Franc Ice Wine
Tickets are $55 through January 31 at Wegmans, the Casa Larga Wine Shop, and online at www.casalarga.com. Tickets are $65 starting February 1 and at the door. For group sales, call Cathy Fabretti at 585-223-4210 x121. For event updates and more information, go to www.NYIceWineFestival.com or follow NY State Ice Wines on Facebook.
