Winemaking Technique
Noble Rot Production
Harvest & Must Adjustment
Noble rot production relies on Botrytis cinerea fungus under humid conditions to shrivel grapes and concentrate sugars while adding honey, ginger, and marmalade complexity. Sauternes, Tokaji, and German Beerenauslese are the world's greatest botrytized expressions.
Also known as: Botrytis cinerea, Botrytized wine, Pourriture noble
Purpose
Concentrate sugars and add complexity via beneficial Botrytis infection.
Process stage
Harvest
How it works
- Sauternes
- Tokaji
- Botrytized Riesling
Common wine styles
Common grape varieties
Common regions
Descriptors created
Descriptors reduced
Opposite techniques
Serving implications
Beginner explanation
Noble rot sounds bad but creates some of the world's greatest sweet wines — Sauternes, Tokaji.
FAQ
- Is noble rot the same as grape rot?
- Noble rot (Botrytis cinerea under the right conditions) concentrates and flavors grapes; grey rot in wet weather ruins them.
Related ontology entities
- Riesling Wine Style
- Chenin Blanc Wine Style
- Sauvignon Blanc Wine Style
- Bordeaux Wine Region
- Alsace Wine Region
- Mosel Wine Region
- Germany Wine Region
- Honeyed Descriptor
- Marmalade Descriptor
- Floral Descriptor
- Riesling Grape Variety
- Sauvignon Blanc Grape Variety
- Dessert Wine Glass Serving
- Lightly Chilled Serving