Château des Charmes: A Family-Owned Winery That Makes Award-Winning Icewine

Château des Charmes is a family-owned and operated winery in Niagara that makes award-winning Icewine. 

Known for being particularly sweet, Icewine first originated in Germany and Austria. In order to make Icewine, fully ripened grapes must be left on the vine throughout the winter so that the water in the grapes can freeze. The temperature needs to be below -7°C or -8ºC before the grapes can be picked and pressed in order to create ultra-concentrated sweet wines.

Château des Charmes makes 3 different Icewines: Vidal, Riesling and Cabernet.

Vidal is the most popular varietal for Icewine, and Château des Charmes uses this grape to make a straightforward and intense wine. When tasting their 2018 Vidal Icewine, you can detect scents of honey, apricot and floral gardens on the nose. When sipping, the wine coats your tongue and there is a touch of acidity to ensure that the sweetness is not overpowering. 

Although VQA recommends harvest temperatures of -8ºC for Icewine, Château des Charmes prefers to wait until temperatures drop to -10°C or -12°C before picking their Vidal grapes. 

Their 2018 Cabernet Icewine in a rare shade of ruby red, is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This bold, unique and flavourful wine includes aromas such as cassis, cedar and dark chocolate, as well as notes of cranberry and strawberry. 

Both Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are great Icewine varietals, but Cabernet Sauvignon grapes specifically have thick skins which help them stay intact during the freezing process.

Last but not least is their Riesling Icewine. Riesling has great ageing potential but it is one of the more difficult varietals to work with. Too much moisture can damage the grapes so they have to be monitored very carefully. For this reason, particular conditions are essential for Riesling Icewine to be made, so as a result, they are not able to make this wine every year. Their 2016 Riesling Icewine is balanced and rich with fruity flavours.

One of the most common questions about Icewine is, “what do I pair it with?” An easy and memorable principle to live by is to ensure that what you are consuming is just as sweet as what you are drinking. For instance, with the Vidal Icewine, Château des Charmes recommends pairing it with crème brûlée. On the other hand, Icewine can be used as a type of reduction. Get creative by drizzling a reduction of the Cabernet Icewine over a New York cheesecake.

As previously mentioned, Château des Charmes is a family-owned and operated winery. The Chairman and Founder, Paul Bosc Sr., is a fifth-generation winegrower that started Château des Charmes in 1978. Paul and his family moved to Niagara in the 1960s and wanted to create the finest wine by growing and harvesting their own grapes. Château des Charmes has stayed true to this philosophy of producing 100% estate-grown grapes. Years later, they now have over 40 vintages in their vineyards. 

From the beginning, Château des Charmes has always implemented sustainable and eco-friendly practices. As a result, they are a charter member of Sustainable Winemaking Ontario, a program administered by Ontario Craft Wineries. Their winemaker, Amélie Boury, helps to ensure that these environmentally friendly procedures are being exercised on a daily basis. Amélie was mentored by Paul and after completing her M.Sc. in Biotechnology from Institut Sup’Biotech de Paris, and graduating from the University of Montpellier, France with an M.Sc. in Viticulture & Oenology, she became the winemaker at Château des Charmes. She now holds the title of Vice President, Winemaking & Operation. 

You can purchase their amazing Icewine online, or visit their winery and vineyard in Niagara! They are open Monday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.