Monday, May 18, 2015

Noble Rot


Noble Rot or botrytis is a fungus that eats out the pulp of the grape concentrating the sugar and acid resulting in gloriously rich, sweet wines. Ideal conditions for its growth are hot hazy mornings where the haze lifts and intense sunshine prevails. Certain wine regions of the world have this climatic condition all the time and it’s what makes their wines what they are. Sauternes and Barzac in Bordeaux, France and TokayAszu in northeast Hungary are prime examples. Other parts of the world get it on and off. It’s so sporadic that it can attack certain vineyards and not others. Sometimes one part of a single vineyard or some individual vines within a vineyard are affected. Even parts of a single vine will get it and not other parts. It’s fascinating.

No comments:

Post a Comment