Ice Wine, known as 'eiswein' in its native land of Germany, is wine pressed from grapes left on the vine in the winter snow. The water freezes, and flavorful compounds separate.

When the grapes are juiced, the water content is lower, resulting in juice that is more like concentrated grape syrup. After the mixture is fermented, the results are magical.

Ice wine originated in Germany's region of Rheingau in the 1800s, when the area was caught off guard by an early winter frost, and grape crops were frozen.

Not wanting to waste their efforts, the vintners pressed the frozen fruit, and a scenario that seemed to spell disaster was a blessing in disguise.

There are reports of Ancient Romans making wine from frozen grapes, but it does not appear that Roman ice wine ever became a formally-recognized product as it did in Germany.

From Rheingau, ice wine caught on worldwide, with cold regions around the globe seizing the technique, including parts of the United States and Canada.