I got my seeds for this yesterday, and am looking over the instructions, which read as follows:
'Requires 2 things to germinate: intermittent washes with dish detergent over a period of 4 weeks (to rid seed of oily substance which is a germination inhibitor). Wash, let dry, etc. Then sow and place outdoors for germination in Spring.'

My interpretation of this is that I probably shouldn't put it outside now, once I've done the washing thing, and not subject it to really cold weather--just sow it in Spring. What do you think?

From what I've been reading, it's only hardy to zone 6 so I'm thinking you will be growing this in a container? If that's the case then no need to wait. Most seeds with oily germination inhibitors are eaten by animals (the fruit) and passed through the digestive system in which the acid breaks down the inhibitors and weakens the hard seed coat by the time they um .. come out the other end. They can be soaked in hard cider (alcoholic and very acidic) which will cut the oiliness faster than soap I think for 48 hours then planted - they still take forever to germinate though so I hope you are patient. You might take half your seeds and do the soap thing and the other half with the cider - see which germinates first.

According to the seller this variety is hardy to zone 2. Perhaps my first question should be whether that information is accurate.

It said in the online description that cold treatment was required. I would normally pop them out into a winter sowing container and leave them outside. But I'm a bit nervous that the seed might be killed if put into too cold temperatures after having been washed, etc. Whereas if I put them outside in Spring, it wouldn't get as cold, but it would still likely experience freeze-thaw cycles.

You've given me the excuse to buy some cider though. Thanks!

I'd go with the seller then .. I'd still go on and get them started .. you can stick them in a garage or something that stays cold then move to the outside about a month before your last really hard freeze occurs. You'll want some really good potting mix with lots of vermiculite or perlite in it so it drains really fast because watering frequently also will dilute the germination inhibitors.

I live alone so I suppose I can stick them in the fridge and then move them into an outdoor container around March or April.
Thanks again.

It is definitely hardy to zone 2.
You shouldn't have any problem winter-sowing them (or with any plant whose seedlings wouldn't be killed by some cool temps after germination... which won't happen here until spring) but alternatively, you could also put some in moist medium in a plastic bag in the fridge and watch for germination, or in a pot set in a cold room or cellar. If you do one of the last two methods, you will have to provide light indoors after germination in order to keep the seedlings healthy, unless you wait until say Feb-March before sowing (in which case, the time indoors will be shorter and light quality will be less important).
I find several seedlings under my plant every year (and have been pulling them out). The seeds don't appear to be eaten by birds or animals particularly here. According to Deno, water washing with soap is effective at removing the oily material from the seed. Anecdotally, someone out there probably likes using cider for seed germination, but why a very weak acid would be more effective at breaking up oil than a soap is very mysterious... don't think there's any chemical basis for it.

teaching me something new.. thanks

It's actually the alcohol which breaks up the oil and the acid softens the seed coat - in my experience it shaves about 4 - 6 months off germination time particularly for stubborn passiflora. In the 'wild' it's months and months even years of rain with snow melt plus the freezing and thawing that leeches out the inhibitors and softens the seed coat before they will germinate. An interesting thing with some hard coat seeds, if planted immediately after ripening they come up quickly but start the dormancy cycle within a week or so producing the inhibitors. The Tacca genus is a good example.

The light sets are going to be pretty crowded with tomatoes and some of the other seeds I ordered, which require warm germination. Sounds like the coat isn't gong to be broken up by just the washing and I won't have to worry about germination too early. Winter sowing it is. But I'll split it into two batches and try both methods. Besides, I think I have a white fruit cake recipe that uses cider.