OnTap Magazine

30 | Summer 2020 | ontapmag.co.za Once harvesters have done what they can by hand, it's time to bring in the machine FEATURE help feeling cheered by the sight of the sun. Soon, flocks of birds could be seen swooping in to try and steal the sweet grapes from their stems, the netting only partially successful as a deterrent. It was time to move things along. Not all of the harvesting is done by hand, and I was happy to be invited aboard the harvesting machine, a huge contraption that shakes the grapes from their vines. From this height I could see the whole wine farm – the regular vineyards sitting under a blanket of snow, just waiting for their turn to shine, the emblematic Brae Burn Barn long used on Inniskillin’s labels and most importantly of all, the tasting room. With harvesting finished for the day, I made a beeline for the tasting room – an elegant space and always the favourite stop on any wine tour. There I was treated to Inniskillin’s range of icewines – Vidal, Riesling and the fruity Cabernet Franc – plus a champagne and icewine cocktail to finish. Vidal and Riesling both offer tropical and citrus-like notes, while the Cab Franc is more reminiscent of strawberry. While all three are sweet, there is enough acidity to create a balanced wine that still manages to be refreshing. I had been living in Canada for a few months when I visited Inniskillin and had gone through the usual phases of a foreigner experiencing their first Canadian winter. It begins with the child- like joy of seeing the first snowfall, a magical experience straight out of every Christmas movie you’ve ever seen. And it inevitably ends with a lot grumbling and swearing in early April when, just as the snow is finally melting, you wake up to yet another white blanket of the stuff and you can’t help wondering if it might snow every day for the rest of your life. But in the middle of the journey is an acceptance of the cold and an embracing of every winter activity on offer, whether that is skiing, snow- shoeing, dog-sledding or crouching in the pre-dawn snow sneaking frozen grapes off the vine as you wait for the sun to emerge. ICEWINE IN SOUTH AFRICA While we of course don’t have the climate to produce icewine, you can now buy Inniskillin’s luxury vintages in SA through Icewine Africa (icewineafrica.com) . Once harvested, the grapes are transferred to a well chilled cellar to be crushed before they can thaw The earlier the Cabernet Franc is harvested, the darker the colour and the deeper the flavours Inniskillin's flagship Gold Vidal is now available in South Africa