Botrytis affected zinfandel?

[Bacchus82]

Has anyone ever heard of a Botrytis affected zinfandel? Or any other red grape being attacked by botrytis? I have never read anything about a red grape being made into a botrytis affected sweet wine. If not, why? Has this ever been experimented with?

[russ parsons]

botrytis does infect both red and white grapes. but only in white sweet wines is it regarded as favorable. i have tasted it in dry white wines, there's a noticable "burriness",. but it wasn't pleasing. i don't remember ever tasting it in a red wine.

[GordonCooks]

I know Zin is very susceptible due to it's thin skin and tight clusters - I've seen some Zin based dessert wines and am not sure if it's a manifestation of noble rot or a late harvest , eiswein type deal.

[jackal10]

They certainly exist. I have some from 1978 in my cellar, made by Ridge Vineyards. They are a little like a light fruity port.

Usually labelled "Late Harvest High Residual Sugar " or "Essence" or some such.

[SBonner]

I have had only one in the past. Interesting but I prefer botrytised white wine. I'd love to try another again for research sake

Stephen Bonner

Vancouver

[russ parsons]

there once was a minor craze for zinfandel ports, and there are still a few made. but, of course, botrytized wines and sweet wines are not necessarily the same thing

[Carolyn Tillie]

I have to concur with Russ and question whether Jackal's Ridge is a true botrytis-affected wine. I adore late-harvest Zins but those are usually just that; late-harvest (meaning the grapes are hung longer to 'raisin' and concentrate the sweetness). Also, many great late-harvest Zins are fortified with neutral spirits. An occasional exception are ones like Mayo's where the fortifying spirit was an alembic from the now-defunct Remy Martin production in the Carneros appellation.

Here is an article I wrote when I was writing for Gang of Pour that explains a bit more about botrytis and the Napa underground-god of such things...

[Brad Ballinger]

Underscoring some points, and adding a bit more...

Botrytis can infect many grape varieties. And it's not always welcome, being more of an ignoble rot than a noble one. And, as Russ mentioned, not all late harvest wines mean that the grapes were affected by botrytis.

Botrytis can also develop on grapes that are not yet ripe, which you don't want no matter what. So even if I want botrytis on my semillon shortly before harvest, I don't want it showing up in June, July or August.

[JohnL]

Has anyone ever heard of a Botrytis affected zinfandel? Or any other red grape being attacked by botrytis? I have never read anything about a red grape being made into a botrytis affected sweet wine. If not, why? Has this ever been experimented with?

←

There seems to be some confusion here. Botrytis and sweetness are two different things. There are any number of sweet late harvest red wines (zinfandel included) all of which are botrytis free.

Botrytis is never a good thing in red grapes. The rot affects the color or pigments and imparts "off" flavors and odors. Basically, the rot removes color so the "red grapes" in essence turn "white" so to peak. (really gray). Any conscientious wine maker would discard red grapes affected with rot before making dry or sweet red wines.

White grapes, however, can be affected positively by botrytis (obviously color is not affected and the flavor/odor notes that are "offputting" in red grapes are actually pleasant and welcome in sweet white wines. The rot in white grapes is often referred to as "noble rot."

Depending on the weather/vintage, white wines can be botrytised or not.

Edited December 11, 2006 by JohnL (log)