From Lake Erie wine country in Western New York, across the Finger Lakes region to the wine trails in Albany, ice wine continues to sweeten the palate of those who love to drink it.

In order to produce a successful wine, weather conditions have to be just right the day of the harvest.

Bob Graham has tasted ice wine in the past, but doesn't drink it often.

"Very sweet, very unique, but I did enjoy it," he said.

He decided to give it another try before heading off on a family ski trip.

"Interested in the process of what ice wine is, and grapes under freezing temperatures to make the wine," he explained.

"This time of year, eight degrees, warming up to 15, perfect," Fred Johnson, Johnson Estate Winery owner, said.

It's a perfect, yet narrow, window of opportunity, as crews at Johnson Estate recently picked white Vidal Blanc grapes and red Chambourcin grapes that are used to make the wines.

"[Ice wine is] wine that has been made sweeter by extracting the water through freezing. The water evaporates out, the sugar and sweeter juice stays in," Johnson explained.

Then, when pressed, the skins and ice crystals stay behind, leaving 45% sugar and juice to make the wine.

The winery will produce 35 to 40 gallons per ton of grapes, far less than what regular wine produces.

"You serve it in a little quarter glass, for dessert, with cheesecake, chocolate cake, what have you," Johnson said.

Graham tasted both, paired them with a snack, and noticed the distinction between the two.

"I can definitely taste the differences. Both unique and both very good. It's not a very dry or strong taste," he said.

New York state is among the few locations with rich soil and frigid cold temperatures during the winter. Not surprisingly, the largest producer of ice wine is the Niagara region in Canada.