Icewine – The Complete Story
By John Schreiner
Review
When long-time wine enthusiast and wine writer John Schreiner decided to write a book about icewine (Canadian spelling), he thought that several European authors had written several books on the subject. After all, Germans invented “eiswein” and one would expect at least a few titles in the subject.
He soon realized that icewine was one area that no one had bothered to research and write about.
When Mr Hainle, a German-born British Columbia winemaker and winery owner first made icewine in 1974, he was simply following a tradition his ancestors has stumbled upon 200 years earlier; he never dreamed that one day Canada would become the world’s largest icewine producer.
The book took Mr Schreiner two-and-a-half years to write, including research, and 400 tastings in many countries. Warwick Publishing, the publisher of a wine magazine and several wine related books, decided to publish this unique and uniquely written book, informative book.
John made numerous visits to far-flung wineries not only in Ontario and British Columbia but also in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Luxembourg.
The author’s extensive knowledge about wine and winemaking is clear throughout the book. He obviously cherishes writing about wine and enjoys this true gift of nature.
John Schreiner’s profile of Dr Hand Ambrosi, who probably contributed to the popularisation of “eiswein” in Germany more than anyone else in recent history is excellent and that alone is worth the price;
His style flows well and compels the reader to continue reading page after page. The book is written primarily for the wine enthusiast, but can serve well winemakers interested in learning more about the intricacies of this “nectar of the gods” and about marketing.
There is only one comment about the ICEWINE – THE COMPLETE STORY: Excellent.
Book Review contributed by Hrayr Berberoglu
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