Ice Apple in wooden box

Ice Apple in Wooden Box – Sweet Wine from Jörg Geiger Manufactory

The Ice Apple in Wooden Box is a sweet wine from the Jörg Geiger Manufactory. Only in a few years, such as in the winter of 2021, does nature offer the perfect conditions at the right time to produce the ice apple. Until late autumn, bright yellow, red-cheeked apples of the old Bittenfelder Sämling variety on the standard-tree orchards in Württemberg are a true specialty. Throughout the year, the Bittenfelder apples have absorbed the highest levels of sugar and acidity. The frosty nights intensify the aromas many times over, and the cold causes the water to freeze, so that only the concentrated juice is used for aroma-preserving cold fermentation.

Similar to ice wine made from grapes, ice apple is also an aromatic sweet wine. Here with 220g/l residual sugar and 5% vol. alcohol. It shows its dark amber with dark golden reflections in the glass. In addition to the very intense apple aroma, it captivates with spicy exotic notes. The ice apple begins with a sweetly intense opening, with slightly spicy notes that intensify with acidity towards the finish. Very long finish. Chilled at 8-10 °C, the ice apple is excellent as a digestif, but also gladly accompanies a spiced apple with caramel ice cream or a warm apple tart. Packaged in an embossed wooden cassette, the ice apple in a wooden box is a noble gift for all apple lovers and connoisseurs.

How Bittenfelder Sämling becomes the Ice Apple in a Wooden Box

The 'Bittenfelder Sämling' is one of the rare Swabian meadow fruit varieties that remain on the tree until late autumn. This gives the yellow, red-cheeked fruits many extra days to develop sugar and acidity. In 2009, we postponed the harvest due to lack of space, only to be suddenly surprised by an early onset of winter. But the night frosts of the following three weeks did not harm the fruits at all. On the contrary, the aromas intensified even more, and their scent was reminiscent of baked apples. In the literature, there were indications that Swabian farmers knew about the positive effects of frost on this apple variety and took them into account during processing.

After the harvest at the end of the frost period in December, the concentrated juice is pressed. The subsequent partial fermentation is stopped by cold. The IceApple can be stored for many decades; the acidity structure ripens very gradually in the bottle until the perfect harmony of opulent sweetness, expressive acidity, and light tartness is achieved.