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Hillebrand Ice Wine


Randi

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Does anyone know if Hillebrand ice wine is sold anywhere in NJ?

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

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Go to you local store and ask them to "Special Order" it from Bouquet Du Vin.

That would be much easier then trying to track it down. Bouquet Du Vin is a very small distributor. If that does not work send me an email and I will fix you up.

Does anyone know if Hillebrand ice wine is sold anywhere in NJ?

RAF

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Thanks, bgut and bob - I will explore both options. I really appreciate the info!

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

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The IceWine Niagara website looks like a fairly good deal. The cost here in Ontario is $50 - $60 a bottle for the 2004, so with shipping included $175 for 3 bottles seems fair. I live about 30 minutes drive from the winery where you can apparently get the 2002 and 2003 bottles for $60 and $70. Unfortunately shipping it across the border is not legal or I'd send it along.

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Randi - I might be interested in going in on a bottle if you intend to order some online.

A friend of mine wants to get me a bottle as a gift - so I don't think we can do the 3 bottle order (even if you took one of them). If it was just me, I'd order it, but I don't want to interfere with her "gifting".

Also, she has her heart set on getting me the 1998 Trius Vidal Icewine, although I am fine with any of them.

If we do decide to order the 3 bottles, I will let you know.

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

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The 1998 Trius from the vineyard is $80.  It's only a one day drive from NJ!

Ah, very reasonable. Only one day's drive!

I am thinking of Plan B. Anyone know of a great icewine from any other vineyard that is available locally? I guess it doesn't have to be Hillebrand, I just want to try a respectable one!

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

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The 1998 Trius from the vineyard is $80.  It's only a one day drive from NJ!

Ah, very reasonable. Only one day's drive!

I am thinking of Plan B. Anyone know of a great icewine from any other vineyard that is available locally? I guess it doesn't have to be Hillebrand, I just want to try a respectable one!

Is location (Canadian or German) or grape varietal (Riesling, Vidal, etc.) an issue?

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I am thinking of Plan B.  Anyone know of a great icewine from any other vineyard that is available locally?  I guess it doesn't have to be Hillebrand, I just want to try a respectable one!

Blue Mountain, in PA, makes a tasty vidal blanc. otherwise you should be able to go to any decent wine store and pick something up.

http://www.bluemountainwine.com/

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As you are aware, true ice wines are very expensive. As an "everyday" dessert wine I pick up the Bonny Doon Vin de Glaciere. Its a nonvintage wine made exclusively of muscat canelli grapes. While not a true ice wine it is made in the same style. At about $17 a bottle its a steal and can usually be found everywhere. Another Muscat dessert wine I also had occasion to recently try is Jorge Ordonez Selecion Especial at $19. It was very good and I was happy to see that Parker gave it a 90. Half the fun is stumbling upon one. Good luck.

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The backstory to my request is this - My friend received a bottle of Hillebrand Late Harvest from a client. He had told her it was ice wine.

Neither one of us drinks wine, so we didn't open it for a while. We finally got around to opening the bottle on New Years Day. She took one sip, made a face and poured hers into my glass. I took one sip...and smiled. It was amazing. I loved how the complex flavors burst in my mouth. Again, I am normally not a wine drinker (as you can tell by my lame description!) but this blew me away!

I began reading about ice wines and realized that what I was drinking wasn't actually an ice wine.

It was a $16 bottle of late harvest, as I mentioned. I saw that the ice wines were much more expensive. But I really wanted to try them! My friend decided it would be a good present (a late holiday gift) and she thought the one that had won the most awards from Hillebrand was the one to get me.

I don't mind if it isn't Hillebrand, and now I've convinced her that it doesn't have to be. I have read that there is a wide range of quality when it comes to ice wines, and since I am an ice wine virgin, I knew I could get advice here.

Thanks all, for your help!

Randi

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

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Is location (Canadian or German) or grape varietal (Riesling, Vidal, etc.) an issue?

You can see by my post above, that I don't have a clue. (yet!)

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

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As you are aware, true ice wines are very expensive. As an "everyday" dessert wine I pick up the Bonny Doon Vin de Glaciere. Its a nonvintage wine made exclusively of muscat canelli grapes. While not a true ice wine it is made in the same style. At about $17 a bottle its a steal and can usually be found everywhere. Another Muscat dessert wine I also had occasion to recently try is Jorge Ordonez Selecion Especial at $19. It was very good and I was happy to see that Parker gave it a 90. Half the fun is stumbling upon one. Good luck.

This is great! I will pick up a bottle of one or the other (or both!) this weekend! And I'll let you know what I think.

Thanks so much.

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

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Something else to keep in the back of your mind in the coming months is a little tiny producer in the Finger Lakes region, Castel Grisch. They do some very traditional German styles and do them incredibly well and incredibly well-priced. You can get one of their vidal blanc ice wines for $18. A steal. (They also do a riesling ice wine, but the vidal blanc is absolutely sublime.)

They have a very limited distribution, so you won't find them locally, but mail order is an option. Apparently, according to their website, their stock is out of many of the choice wines, but check back in a few months. Really.

Christopher

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