Thuringia’s Rare Ice Wine Harvest Yields Ultra-Sweet Luxury Bottles

A sudden freeze turned Thuringia’s vineyards into a treasure trove. Two wineries raced to harvest grapes for one of the world’s rarest—and sweetest—wines.

, and Administrator

2025 November 23 . 7:12 PM

1 min read

In the picture there are three wine bottles and beside to them there are ice cubes. In the... — In the picture there are three wine bottles and beside to them there are ice cubes. In the background there are ice cubes.

"Golden Harvest" - Thuringian Winemakers Harvest Ice Wine - Thuringia’s Rare Ice Wine Harvest Yields Ultra-Sweet Luxury Bottles

Thuringia’s winegrowers have completed a rare ice wine harvest after temperatures dropped to -10°C over the weekend. The freezing conditions allowed two well-known wineries to collect grapes for this prized, sweet dessert wine. Both Bad Sulza Winery and Zahn Winery in the Saale-Unstrut region took advantage of the cold snap to produce limited quantities of the luxury drink.

Bad Sulza Winery gathered around two and a half tons of frozen Souvignier Gris grapes during the harvest. The grapes reached a must weight of roughly 200 degrees Oechsle, meaning each litre contained about 400 grams of sugar. This high concentration gives ice wine its signature sweetness and intensity.

The weekend’s harvest marks a special achievement for Thuringia’s wine industry. Both Bad Sulza and Zahn Winery will now begin production, with the finished bottles likely to reach collectors and enthusiasts in the coming months. Due to the limited yield, supplies will be scarce, making this year’s ice wine a sought-after treat.