10 Ice Wine Twists to Classic Cocktails

Icewine vineyard — “Ice Wine- Sweet, tasty but $50 per SMALL bottle” by Tim Rodenberg is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

A mainstay at Canadian duty-free shops, ice wine is often considered a dessert wine, due to its inherent sweetness. After all, ice wine is the result of leaving grapes on the vine as the weather gets colder, and harvesting them in the winter after they’ve developed a high concentration of natural sugars—typically with vidal and riesling varieties. Many stray away from ice wines for being too sweet to drink with food but ice wine is more versatile than you might expect, and not just for dessert.

Not only can sweet ice wines pair well with fruit-filled pies and cheesecake, but they can also robustly complement bold, savory foods like sharp cheeses, minerally foie gras, or spicy curries. Moreover, they can also be used as an ingredient in cocktails and not necessarily sticky sweet ones.

Ice Wine Cocktails

“Ice wine is authentically sweet with a pure fruit character. This unique combination, with its vibrant acidity makes for one of the world’s great sweet wines,” says Magdalena Kaiser of the Wine Marketing Association of Ontario. “Classically, we enjoy it as a luxury dessert wine or with savory appetizers. Yet, there’s a world to discover as Ontario VQA [Vinters Quality Alliance] ice wine brings magic to cocktails by enhancing the flavors and elevating the cocktail experience.”

Ice wine can be a substitute for simple syrup in cocktail recipes, but it can also be used to add a refreshing touch to the most classic of cocktails. From Bellinis to Martinis, these cocktails are the perfect way to experiment with ice wine in mixed drinks.

Ice Wine Martini

Curated by Magdalena Kaiser of the Wine Marketing Association Ontario

A slight twist on a classic cocktail. The purity of ece wine shines through and is refreshing with a touch of sweetness, making it a perfect aperitif.

2 oz vidal ice wine

2 oz vodka

Frozen grape for garnish

Pour the vidal ice wine and vodka over ice in a cocktail mixer or shaker. Stir gently, then strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the frozen grape.

Ice Wine Royale

Curated by Magdalena Kaiser of the Wine Marketing Association Ontario

“Red ice wine is luscious like its siblings, but with unique aromas and flavours of red berries,” says Kaiser. “Combined with traditional method sparkling wine, it takes the concept of the classic Kir Royale to new heights.”

1 oz red ice wine

3 oz VQA traditional method sparkling wine

Raspberry for garnish

Pour the sparkling wine into a chilled flute glass. Gently add the red ice wine and then garnish with the raspberry.

VQA Spring Fizz

Created by Evelyn Chic, Toronto Mixologist

The VQA Spring Fizz is refreshing and bubbly, making it perfect for spring or a hot summer day. Apricot jam harmoniously plays with the natural fruit notes of the ice wine, and the lemon and aromatic bitters add it a mouth-watering dimension.
1 ½ oz vidal ice wine

½ oz Canadian rye whisky

½ oz lemon juice

1 Tablespoon apricot jam

2 dashes aromatic bitters

Sparkling wine

Lemon for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, minus the sparkling wine, and shake vigorously. Add ice and shake again for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a Collins glass packed with ice and then top with the sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Ice Wine Cosmopolitan

Curated by Magdalena Kaiser of the Wine Marketing Association Ontario

The Ice Wine Cosmopolitan is a riff on the glamorous classic from the 1980s. It takes all the classic ingredients and then adds VQA ice wine to elevate the experience by integrating tropical and stone fruit flavors.

1 oz vidal or riesling ice wine

1 oz premium vodka

½ oz Grand Marnier

1 ½ oz cranberry juice

½ oz lime juice

Citrus peel for garnish

Pour ice wine, vodka, Grand Marnier, cranberry, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the citrus peel.

Niagara Ice Wine Sour

Created by Max Smit, Niagara Bartender

“Sours are a family of classic cocktails from the 1800s, and I thought it was important to add an Ice Wine Sour to the mix,” says Smit. “By using local cherry juice, local Canadian whisky and local ice wine, it makes for an authentic Niagara cocktail. The egg white or vegan frother adds texture and fun to this serious cocktail sour. Details on the garnish always elevated the experience.”

1 oz Peller Estates Signature Series Riesling Icewine 2019

1½ oz Eau Claire Distillery Batch 006 Single Malt Whisky

½ oz concentrated cherry juice

1 egg white (or vegan frother)

Dried cherries for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Add ice and shake again for 10-15 seconds, then strain into a coup glass. Garnish with dried cherries and a tiny drizzle of cherry juice.

Ice Wine 76

Created by Magdalena Kaiser of the Wine Marketing Association Ontario

“I created the VQA Icewine 76 because the classic French 75 is one of my all-time favourite cocktails,” says Kaiser. “The delicate and luscious flavors of ice wine become overwhelmed by gin, so the French 76 version, which has vodka, is preferred. Ice wine adds natural sweetness and acidity, creating another edition within this classic cocktail family.”

1 oz riesling or vidal ice wine

1 oz premium vodka

½ oz lemon juice

3 oz sparkling wine

Lemon peel for garnish

Pour the ice wine, vodka, and lemon juice over ice in a cocktail mixer or shaker. Stir gently, then strain into a chilled coupe glass and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Ice Wine Cold Fashioned

Curated by Magdalena Kaiser of the Wine Marketing Association Ontario

Ontario VQA ice wine is naturally sweet and is a perfect substitution for sugary simple syrup. Also, the inherent apricot and honey flavors of ice wine elevates the classic Old Fashioned with unexpected notes in this delicious riff.

1 oz red ice wine

1 oz Canadian whisky

Maraschino cherries and orange slices for garnish

In a rocks glass with ice, stir the red ice wine and whisky together. Garnish with cherries and orange slices.

VQA Bittersweet Symphony

Created by Evelyn Chic, Toronto Mixologist

“The VQA Bittersweet Symphony was inspired to share with a loved one,” says Chic. “Ice wine has passionfruit flavours and adding passionfruit juice elevates the cocktail. Campari adds just enough bitter, the lime adds zest and VQA traditional method sparkling brings everything together in perfect harmony.”

1 ½ oz red ice wine

½ oz Campari

½ oz passionfruit juice

½ oz lime juice

Sparkling wine to top it off

Passionfruit and lime peel for garnish

Pour the red ice wine, Campari, passionfruit and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a flute, then top with the sparkling wine. Garnish with a skewered passionfruit and long lime twist.

Ice Wine Bellini

Curated by Magdalena Kaiser of the Wine Marketing Association Ontario.

A Bellini is always festive—and especially delightful in the summer, particularly for brunch. VQA ice wine has exotic peach and apricot flavors that uplift this classic cocktail, which gets balanced when topped with a lively traditional method sparkling wine.

1 ½ oz vidal or riesling ice wine

2 oz peach purée

Sparkling wine

Lemon twist for garnish

Pour the peach purée into a chilled flute glass, followed by the ice wine. Top it off with sparkling wine, then garnish with a lemon twist.

A Canadian in Manhattan

Curated by Magdalena Kaiser of the Wine Marketing Association Ontario

Kaiser calls it “A nod to our neighbors.” The Canadian in Manhattan brings two quintessential Canadian products together—ice wine and a dash of maple syrup—with American bourbon. It’s a twist on a Manhattan that must be experienced, in either country.

½ oz VQA riesling or vidal ice wine

1 oz bourbon

½ oz Canadian maple syrup

Maraschino cherry for garnish

Add the bourbon, maple syrup, and ice wine to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir, then strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.