By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Region Editor

Last Thursday morning I had a chance to participate in my third icewine harvest since moving to the Niagara region — this time at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery’s vineyards in Lyndonville, NY on a chilly morning.

I not only pitched in, but shot some video and spoke with winemaker Jonathan Oakes.

Jonathan’s 2008 release icewine was just awarded “Dessert Wine of the Year” for the Niagara Escarpment region and he was eager to bring in the frozen grapes this year to build on the success of last year’s harvest. I didn’t have time to stay for the pressing of the grapes but Jonathan did assure me that he’d get me some video of that process as well.