Noble Rot’s Advantages for Your Favorite Wines.
Chances are that if you say the term “Botrytis” out loud, everyone will agree that it sounds unappetizing. Once you realize that it’s a mold, the term becomes even less appealing to pronounce.
Upon further investigation, however, you will discover that this unusual creature is responsible for some of the world’s greatest wines, many of which sell for exorbitant sums. In the same way that one man’s trash may become another man’s treasure, Botrytis has a silver lining, and contemporary wine would be unrecognizable without it.
Even if you’ve never heard of Botrytis before, if you’ve been paying attention to wine for any length of time, you’ve almost certainly heard of something called “Noble Rot.”
Take solace in the knowledge that they are one and the same person. This phenomenon and its ability to modify wines will be discussed in further detail below.
What exactly is Botrytis?
When you hear a term like “Botrytis,” it’s natural to believe that the talk is going to become terribly tedious and complex, but rest assured that this is a rather simple subject to grasp.
Botrytis is, at its most basic level, nothing more than a mold in a different shape. It is, on the other hand, a highly discriminating mold that only affects grapes in certain situations and not in general.
During the formation of Noble Rot, periods of rainy weather must be interspersed with times of intense sunlight and dryness. Mold may grow in these circumstances, but too much moisture would result in unsightly grey mold, and too little moisture would result in no mold at all.
What is it about Botrytis that some winemakers adore? Consequently, the taste, acidity, and sugar content of the grapes it influences are concentrated, and the wine is more concentrated as a consequence.
As may be expected, the effects of Botrytis result in a significantly reduced crop yield, but the juice that is collected is of very high quality and can be utilized to make delicious and strange wines as a result of the disease.
Noble Rot has a number of characteristics in common.
Despite the fact that botrytis may damage a glass of wine in a variety of different ways, there are a few traits that are consistently present in Noble Rot-affected wines. One noticeable difference is a significant increase in overall sweetness, particularly when comparing a grape with a grape of the same variety that has not been infected by the mold.
This is because Noble Rot causes the grape to become desiccated without impairing the grape’s capacity to maintain sugar levels, resulting in a juice that has a greater sugar concentration than usual.
For this reason, many dessert wines are manufactured from grapes that have been subjected to the Noble Rot procedure, since they tend to be sweeter and more tolerant of greater alcohol levels than other grape varieties.
Noble Rot, on the other hand, produces more than simply sweetness; it also produces taste. Specific tastes, on the other hand, might have a significant impact on the overall character of a grape variety.
Noble Rot-affected wines are often referred to as “honeyed,” which is a term that refers to the viscosity of many of these wines, maybe as an addition to the sweetness produced by Botrytis.
Gingersnap tastes, as well as traces of oxidized lemon and distant citrus notes, are not at all unusual in this category. While all of these characteristics may be found across the vast spectrum of wine, it is the fact that they can be imparted to a variety of grapes that distinguishes Noble Rot from other varieties.
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Noble Rot Wines Come in a Variety of Styles
Finding Noble Rot-affected wines may be difficult for the typical wine consumer, particularly when you consider the fact that many manufacturers purposely omit this information off the label of their products.
As a result, it is beneficial to be familiar with the many varieties of wine produced across the globe that are usually made from grapes that contain Noble Rot. The most well-known is probably Sauternes, which comes from the French town of Bordeaux.
Sauternes is an exceptional dessert wine made from a combination of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been afflicted by Botrytis. It is now seeing a resurgence in popularity in France, the United States, and the rest of the globe.
It is believed that Noble Rot grapes were originally used in winemaking in Hungary around the 16th century, and these grapes are still used today to produce a wine known as Tokaji Asz, which is a blend of red and white wines.
One of Hungary’s most cherished wines, Tokaji Asz is sweet and has a significant amount of residual sugars, and it speaks volumes about the terroir of the area in which it is produced. This dessert wine is often sold in 500ml bottles, with prices ranging between $50 and $90 per bottle, depending on the maker and location.
Naturally, Noble Rot wines aren’t inexpensive, but the enormous amount of effort that goes into producing them helps to explain why this is the case.
However, although Sauternes and Tokaji Asz are among the most popular Botrytis wines, they are by no means the be-all and end-all of the genre.
Germany is famous for two types of wines that have been impacted by the fungus: Trockenbeerenauslese and Beerenauslese, both of which are really delicious. If you go to France’s Loire Valley, you’ll almost certainly come across three wines that are perfect for Botrytis: Quarts de Chaume, Bonnezeaux, and Coteaux du Layon, among others.
Noble Rot is brought to the party by Vendage Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles, both of which are based in Alsace.
Even wineries in Australia and California are starting to make use of grapes that have been afflicted by Botrytis, and research has resulted in the development of new ideas for how these sorts of grapes might be used in the production of wine.
Bottles to Experiment With
There is no better way to obtain a better grasp of Noble Rot than to taste the many flavors it may impart to a bottle of wine. To get you started, here are a few bottles to check out:
Château Dereszla Tokaji Asz 5 Puttonyos (Chateau Dereszla Tokaji Asz).
In addition to being rich with honey, sugared barley, peach, and acid, Château Dereszla Tokaji Asz 5 Puttonyos is one of the best Tokaji Aszs you’re likely to come across.
It’s a fantastic dessert wine that would pair well with flan or just enjoy on its own without food. And for $50, it’s about as affordable as a Tokaji Asz can be for a product of this caliber.
Vin de Pays d’Yquem de Sauternes.
Intensely acidic, Château d’Yquem Sauternes displays Botrytis in the form of oxidized lemon and lime flavors. It has hints of citrus and vanilla in its flavor profile, and the finish is unexpectedly sweet without being overpowering, allowing minerality to take the wheel. Sauternes is a must-try for every wine enthusiast.
Dr. Loosen Erdener Prälat Riesling is a German Riesling produced by Dr. Loosen Erdener.
Dr. Loosen Erdener Prälat Riesling is a Trockenbeerenauslese that gets its finest traits right from the Botrytis mold, according to its stylistics. With flavors that are fruity and spicy, as well as a distinct earthiness, this Riesling is a unique take on the grape that is sure to win over many new fans.
In the wine business, botrytis wines represent a novel frontier that is gaining appeal. Begin with one of the options listed above and take it from there.
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