Apple ice wine was only recently “invented.” In 1990, Christian Barthomeuf, a French winemaker who had emigrated to Quebec, tried substituting the apple for the grape to make what the Quebecois call “cidre de glace” – ice cider. Barthomeuf reasoned that the apple was more at home on Canadian soil than the grape, and would therefore result in a better product. Inspired by the wonderful apple ice wine produced by our neighbors to the North, Still River Winery takes advantage of the fact that central Massachusetts grows the world’s best apples – with ideal soil, climate and hours of sunlight – “terroir” as wine connoisseurs refer to it. Since the best-tasting apple varieties fall from the trees before a hard frost, Still River Winery separates out the frozen water crystals from icy pressed cider before fermentation. Fermentation itself takes place over months, at very cold temperatures, to preserve delicate flavors and aromas.