The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana has a citrus blossom, fresh grass and marmalade mix pn the nose with tropical fruits and ripe, sweet passion fruit. It's an heady mix of complexity and decadence. The palate is initially spicy and zesty with the texture of lemon curd, all velvety and smooth with citrusy acid keeping it all in line. Layers of flavour keep on coming; including spicy orange cake, minerals and herbs. This wine is long, fine and direct and its acidity; spice tinged and mineral edged keeps you wanting more. It's delicious to drink now, but for those patient enough, this wine will reward further, if cellared well over the next five to ten years. The late harvest of this wine takes place by hand in small volumes when fruit flavours and the Botrytis cinerea is at an optimal point. The fruit is gently crushed before receiving a small amount of skin contact. The juice is separated from the skins and seeds via the gentle process of basket pressing.
Botryotinia fuckeliana: The team at d'Arenberg, don't want anyone to get any wrong ideas about the name of this wine! It's all in the name of science. Botryotinia fuckeliana is the scientific name for a certain type of mould that affects fruit. Botrytis cinerea is a form that affects vineyards and is more commonly referred to as 'noble rot'. Noble rot weakens the skin of the grape which causes the water in the berry to evaporate and leaves behind the sugar and nutrients. Botryotinia fuckeliana is named after German botanist, Karl Wilhelm Gottlieb Fuckel. |
