This one is definitely for all you red wine-lovers out there. It tastes the most like wine so if you're looking for a strong wine-tasting ice cream that quite possibly could get you buzzed, this one is for you.
This one tastes a bit more of wine than the red raspberry chardonnay but in the best way possible. It's made with a red merlot that makes it so rich, and combined with the plump Bordeaux cherries, it's pure gold. The smooth and creamy texture made it taste like it was sent from the heavens.
Last week Governor Paterson signed a new law regulating the sale of wine ice cream. Only a few places make it but Mercer's Dairy Ice Cream in CortlandBooneville, New York has made it a signature item -- and it turns out they're behind the new law.
A spokesperson for Mercer's says they've been selling wine ice cream for a few years now. And until recently it was classified as a confection by the New York State Liquor Authority. But back in November the Liquor Authority decided the frozen treat didn't really fit its definition of a "confection." So Mercer's got legislators to sponsor a bill creating a special classification for wine ice cream.
Mercer's wine ice creams contain up to 5% alcohol by volume (about the same as a beer). In an attempt to keep kids from sampling, the state has restricted the ice cream to packages of 3 gallons, 5 quarts and pints -- no cups or merlot on a stick. There's also a warning on the label for pregnant women.
Mercer's currently offers six flavors. We found the Red Raspberry Chardonnay at Putnam Market in Saratoga (at $8.55 a pint). We admit we're ice cream snobs, but frankly we really weren't impressed. If you're willing to settle for wine ice cream without the "buzz" your better bet is Glace De Vino. We picked up BOTH the Chocolate Amaretto Cream Sherry and the Strawberry Cream Chardonnay at Hannaford for about the same price as one pint of Mercer's.
I had this Mercer's Dairy ice cream several months ago, and I thought it was deliciuos. I had the red raspberry chardonney, and you can definitely taste the wine. I guess the only thing that would make it better is if it didn't cost so much.
Having grown up a bit north of Boonville (yes, such places really do exist) I have enjoyed Mercer's ice cream on a fairly regular basis. While I have not tried their new wine ice cream, some of their other flavors may be a better representation of the company. My personal favorite is moose tracks - vanilla with fudgy swirls and peanut butter cup chunks...
Many thanks to Petit Petit Gamin who opened our minds to the magical world of wine infused ice cream, which, we want to make sure you note, is not wine "flavoured" ice cream. No, this is the real deal, with a pint of Mercer's special blend containing a legit 5% alcohol content. So yes, you can eat a big bowl and get a serious wine-buzz on.
Mercer's wine infused ice cream comes in 7 different flavours: Cherry Merlot, Chocolate Cabernet, Peach White Zinfandel, Port, Red Raspberry Chardonnay, Spiced and Riesling. All sound amazing, and we'd love to get our spoons in a bowl of at least one flavour (dibs on Chocolate Cabernet) but, unfortunately, Mercer's "winecream" isn't available outside of their upstate New York store. International vendors are apparently "coming soon," and Athena knows we'll be waiting.
Our two favorite vices, wine and ice cream, combine to make epic treats in many amazing global ice cream shops. So raise the bar on your dessert goals and try one of these ice cream and wine blends around the world.
Zabione is a traditional Italian gelato flavor made from Marsala wine. The version from Gelateria del Teatro combines it with another sweet dessert wine, so it ends up being a sweet, creamy vino concoction.
One of the first creameries to mix the unlikely duo was New York's Mercer's Dairy. In 2004, then-Senator Hillary Clinton held a showcase of New York products in Washington, D.C. Mercer's found itself next to a New York winery - and the two began spitballing ideas. Four years later, Wine Ice Cream made its debut. Today, it's available in 27 states and exported to more than 20 countries - a number that the company expects to expand dramatically by the end of the year, thanks to the looming launch of individual cup-sized packages.
More than 10 different flavors are available that combine fruits and spicy peppers with the perfect wine pairing. They taste wonderful over pork, chicken, spread on top of a soft triple-cream brie cheese or even used as a saucy addition in your next grilled cheese sandwich.
Canada is increasingly becoming a top wine destination, with Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada, being particularly known for its excellent Icewines. Production is such a part of the local culture, the area even has an annual outdoor Icewine Festival in frigid January, complete with ice bars, hot foods, roaring bonfires and shops, where vineyards can come give visitors samples of their famous wines.
Is wine ice cream still out of your geographic reach? You can make it at home! Try a version made with dessert wine here, or go bold and make a cabernet ice cream here. Either way, I think we can all agree that wine + ice cream = heaven!
In September of 2016, officials from the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) stepped in to set regulations for ice cream parlors and restaurants looking to serve this tipsy treat where a written classification from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) must be produced in order to make and/or sell alcohol-infused ice cream.
Tipsy Scoop began catering and selling liquor-infused ice cream wholesale in 2013. Since then Tavss has opened an ice cream shop in Manhattan, where she sells favorites like Spiked Hazelnut Coffee, Tequila Mexican Hot Chocolate, and Red Velvet Martini, while still selling Tipsy Scoop wholesale in New York and Massachusetts.
In May, Ohio legislators passed a house bill allowing businesses to make and sell ice cream between 0.5% and 6% ABV. As of September 2016, ice cream retailers in Massachusetts who want to add wine, beer, or spirits to their concoctions must get a special exemption by the federal government. Retailers in Texas must acquire a state-issued Mixed Beverage permit.
This summer, even the most traditional ice cream purveyors got inventive with the frozen sweet treat to create positively out-of-the-cone creations. From wine-infused pints to cream cheese and rye sandwiches, here are the weirdest ice cream desserts of the summer.
While Mercer's Dairy has been making wine ice cream since 2006, they only went mainstream last winter, bringing their boozy frozen treat to the national market. The wine-infused dessert has five percent alcohol-by-volume and comes in flavors like chocolate cabernet, red raspberry chardonnay, and cherry merlot.
 38c6e68cf9