This  just in, in the “Match Made in Heaven” department.

Girlfriend Susan brought a lovely lemon pudding cake for dessert last night - you know that kind that separates into a fluffy lemony souffle on top, with a creamy lemon curd sauce on the bottom - and we pulled a bottle of 2006 Inniskillin Sparkling Vidal icewine from the fridge.

While adding bubbles to icewine may sound a bit gimmicky, ‘twas a revelation to be true. The soft bubbles in the golden Vidal added a layer of zest to the already racy acidity, that made it literally dance on your tongue. It was an outstanding partner to the sweet lemony dessert -  a complimentary combination, echoing flavours yet augmenting both. The icewine’s subtle spritz and candied lemon and lime notes turned a simple but delicious dessert into a wow moment.

This is a very rare, limited release but worth grabbing if you see it on the shelf (about $75-$100 for a 375 ml bottle). Chill and serve with a light, lemon curd dessert, or to start a meal in style with foie gras.

Inniskillin is one of Canada’s top icewine makers, creating this VQA dessert wine using Vidal grapes from the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario. But by using a second fermentation in a sealed tank - what’s called the “Charmat Method” - they create a natural carbonation, adding a whole new level of delight to this incredibly intense, yet balanced wine. In case you don’t know, icewine is only made when the temperature drops below -8C - the grapes picked and pressed when frozen solid. The water in the grape is thus effectively removed, resulting in very small amounts of concentrated juice for fermentation, and a wine with incredible sweetness and acidity. Yes, we have winter in Canada - but icewine is one of the big bonuses. This Sparkling Inniskillin Icewine won a gold medal at VinItaly last year - no surprises there.

Any FYI, Inniskillin has launched a new Vidal Icewine Commemorative Edition, with proceeds to support Canada’s Olympic athletes at the 2010 Games in Vancouver. Raise a glass for the team.

©Cinda Chavich 2010

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