Jose Antonio Suarez Lepe

Biotechnology of Ice Wine Production

Abstract Ice wines are widely distributed in cold regions. Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, and China are producers of these wines. These wines are included in top international level quality premium wines because of their peculiar and delicate sensory features. These wines are enological jewels, fetching high prices in international markets, and the production regions and the climatic conditions in which they are produced can be included in extreme and heroic viticulture. Moreover, the highly concentrated must that is extracted from the frozen berries under pressure makes the fermentation biotechnology very difficult. The yeasts have great problems with the growth and development of their metabolism, which is a critical point of the ice wine making process. Management of extreme osmophilia in the must is one of the critical goals in the biotechnology of ice wines. In the end, the sensory quality and longevity of these sweet wines make them really special.