Warm winter puts paid to German ice wine production

Temperatures have not fallen far enough for grapes to freeze on the vine as process requires

A warm winter means that for the first time in years Germany's vineyards will produce no ice wine, an expensive golden nectar made from grapes left to freeze on the vine.

The German Wine Institute said on Sunday that temperatures had not dropped to the prerequisite low of -7C (19F) in any of the country's wine regions.