Who Is Tim?
My name is Tim Brinkmann and while I'd prefer to answer your questions in person at my store, you will always have 24-hour access to my wine and spirits knowledge on my Ask Tim page. My background and my passion both lie in the wine and spirits industry, with over 10 years experience as a spirits wholesaler and 9 years in fine wine distribution. I opened Brinkmann's Wine & Spirits because I love to discover new wines and spirits and I have a great appreciation for the evolution, growth, and maturity of existing brands. Please come visit me in the store so we can talk shop, or feel free to interact with me here. Just remember: Good, Better... Brinkmann's!

Updated January 17, 2013

Sara O. asks:

Tim,

I've tried all sorts of Ice Wines at holiday parties and loved them! I have to ask though, why are they so expensive?

Sara O.

 

Sara,

As you already know, Ice Wines are very sweet, dessert-type wines that can be enjoyed as an after dinner drink or as dessert itself. Although not all Ice Wines are too expensive, the cost, effort and time it takes to produce these wines are what drives their pricing. Ice Wines are produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars within the grapes don't freeze, however the water does, resulting in a highly concentrated, very sweet wine in the end. These grapes are extremely difficult to harvest and require a large workforce to help on a moment's notice, thus increasing labor costs and possible loss of grapes.

Some great Ice Wines we carry at Brinkmann's include:

Inniskillin Ice Wine from Canada-- $67.99

Royal Tokaji Aszu from Hungary-- $49.99

Jackson Triggs Vidal Ice Wine from Canada-- $25.99

The Stump Jump Sticky Chardonnay from Australia-- $15.99

Cheers!

Tim B.