New Spanish DO approved

The region of Penedès in Catalonia has been granted Denominación de Origen (DO) status for icewine, the first in Spain.

Vino Dulce de Hieldo, or Vi Dolç del Fred in Catalan, is the first recognised icewine in the Mediterranean country, although Cava producer Jaime Gramona has been making experimental batches since 1997.

His “Vi de Gel” is made in varietal batches using Riesling, Moscatel de Grano Menudo and Gewürztraminer, which are also sometimes blended.

Penedès is also the first European DO to allow producers to artificially freeze grapes to produce icewine, a practice that is illegal in icewine-producing countries such as Germany and Canada.

In these countries the grapes must be left to freeze naturally on the vines and wait for the temperature to drop below a certain level until they can be harvested, minus seven degrees in Germany and minus eight in Canada.

Icewine from Penedès is allowed to be made by leaving the grapes on the vines, although this is unlikely in practice.

Freezing in a cold room, refrigerator or even with dry ice are likely to be the preferred methods. Sugar additions are forbidden.

Varieties allowed in its production include Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Malvasia de Sitges, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Moscatel de Alejandria, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot and all must have a minimum of 240 grams of sugar per litre.

The final wine has to contain 70-150g/l of residual sugar and have an alcohol content of 9.5-13.5%.

Rupert Millar, 29.07.2010