The Art of Ice Wine Pairing
First, chill it. Place the Ice Wine in the frig an hour or two before serving.
Even though Ice Wine is sweet, the wine can be very refreshing due to high acidity. This is certainly true of our 2013 Wyncroft Riesling Ice Wine. Rule of thumb for dessert wines, the wine should always be sweeter than the food being served alongside. Our favorite end of meal Ice Wine pairing, (when you’re too full for another bite but want a little something sweet to finish), is a small pour of Ice Wine, a simple offering of Marcona almonds and a block of Gorgonzola cheese. No recipes required!
However, consider this recipe for a deconstructed (no-bake) cheesecake we’ve adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi.
Cheesecake
3-½ ounces creamy feta (President’s brand or similar)
10-½ ounces cream cheese
¼ c sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
½ c heavy cream
Using a spatula, (or stand mixer), break down the feta to be as smooth as possible. Whisk or mix in the cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest. Place the cream in a separate bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Fold half of the whipped cream in the cream cheese and feta mix, then fold in the second half. Be careful not to over mix. Chill in frig for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
Crumble
½ c blanched almonds, roughly chopped
¼ c cold butter, diced
¼ c whole-wheat flour
2 T unbleached flour
¼ c brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 T black sesame seeds
¼ tsp salt
Preheat oven 350dg
Place the almonds & flours in a large bowl. Using your hands, rub in the butter until a crumb-like consistency forms. Stir in sugar, sesame seeds & salt. Spread on cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Cherry compote
3 c frozen pitted cherries, defrosted
½ c sugar
4 whole star anise
4 strips orange skin
4 T Orange liqueur
Place the cherries, sugar, star anise and orange peel in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil and simmer 10 – 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Add the orange liqueur and simmer 2 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)
Assembly
Scoop a large portion of cheesecake onto a dessert plate, top with plenty of crumble, a bit of compote and more crumble. Garnish w/fresh blackberries, if desired and a drizzle of olive oil.
Ice Wine is most often thought of as a dessert wine, but its relegation to the end of a meal is unfortunate because it has far more potential than that. Be adventurous!
As an Aperitif with Hors d’oevres: toasted salty nuts, anchovies, smoked sardines, salamis, crackers and sharp, pungent cheeses, citrus, pineapples, honeydew melons, and kiwis or maybe even potato chips!
During Dinner: Think smoky, juicy Mexican pulled pork tacos or perhaps (not too sweet) BBQ ribs and a tangy apple coleslaw. Or consider butter-basted scallops garnished with a bacon/onion compote. Spicy food is another fabulous pairing for Ice Wine’s sweetness. Thai or Asian cuisine, Indian curries, the spicier the dish, the better your glass of Ice Wine will taste.