On Food and Cooking

wines   are examples.

Grapes  are left    on  the vine    past    the first

frost   and picked  when    frozen  (or frozen

artificially),  and then    gently  pressed

while   cold    to  separate    the concentrated

juice   from    the ice crystals.   The

concentrated    juice   ferments    into    a   stable

wine    with    residual    sugar.  German

Eiswein dates   from    around  1800.

The grapes  are allowed to  become

infected    with    “noble  rot,”   the mold

Botrytis    cinerea,    which   dehydrates  the

grapes, concentrates    their   sugars, and

transforms  their   flavor  and consistency.

This    method  originated  in  the Tokaji

region  of  Hungary around  1650,   and was

adopted in  the German  Rheingau    by  1750

and in  the Sauternes   region  of  Bordeaux

around  1800.

Enjoying    Sparkling   Wines

In order to appreciate their sparkle,