Noble rot (French: pourriture noble; German: Edelfäule; Italian: Muffa nobile) is the benevolent form of a grey fungus, Botrytis cinerea, affecting wine grapes. Infestation by Botrytis requires moist conditions. If the weather stays wet, the malevolent form, "grey rot," can destroy crops of grapes. Grapes typically become infected with Botrytis when they are ripe. If they are then exposed to drier conditions and become partially raisined this form of infection brought about by the partial drying process is known as noble rot. Grapes when picked at a certain point during infestation can produce particularly fine and concentrated sweet wine. Some of the finest Botrytized wines are literally picked berry by berry in successive tries (French for "selections").
Read more about Noble Rot: Origins, Viticulture and Uses
Famous quotes containing the words noble and/or rot:
“O what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Much attribute he hath, and much the reason
Why we ascribe it to him; yet all his virtues,
Not virtuously of his own part beheld,
Do in our eyes begin to lose their gloss,
Yea, like fair fruit in an unwholesome dish,
Are like to rot untasted.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)