- Late harvest wine
Late harvest is a term applied to
wine s made fromgrape s left on thevine longer than usual. "Late harvest" is usually an indication of a sweetdessert wine , such as late harvestRiesling . Late harvest grapes are often more similar toraisins , but have been naturally dehydrated while on the vine.Botrytis cinerea , or "noble rot ", is a mold that causes grapes to lose nearly all of their water content. Wines made from botrytis-affected grapes are generally very sweet.Noble rot
Botrytis cinerea is afungus that affects many wine grapes and causes them to shrivel into moldy raisins. The fungus responds to the humidity and warmth in the climate and attacks the grapes. As the mold penetrates the skin its spores begin togerminate , causing the water inside to evaporate and the grape to dehydrate. With the absence of water, the sugar becomes more concentrated and the botrytis begins to alter the acidity within the grape. Typically botrytis infection begins to take place in late September and can last till late October. In some yearsdesiccation may occur leaving tiny amount of sweet liquor like juice within the grape. K. MacNeil "The Wine Bible" pg 137 Workman Publishing 2001 ISBN 1563054345 ]The infection rate of botrytis is sporadic with vines and bunches achieving full rottenness at different times. This requires harvest workers to have to go through the vineyards several times between October and November to hand picked the full rotted grapes. In some occasions, the usable grapes from a single vine may only produce enough juice for a single glass. K. MacNeil "The Wine Bible" pg 138 Workman Publishing 2001 ISBN 1563054345 ]
Sauternes
Sauternes, such as
Château d'Yquem , are produced in theSauternes region (including Barsac) south ofBordeaux . They are made from botrytis infectedSemillon andSauvignon blanc grapes. Semillon is preferred due to the grape's thin skin and susceptibility to the botrytis which gives the grape a highsugar content. These wines are noted for the balance that complements the honeyed sweetness. ]During fermentation, the juice is transferred into oak
wine barrel s where the high sugar concentration ofmust prolongs the fermentation time which can last up to a year. When thealcohol level kills off all presentyeast s, the fermentation stops leaving theresidual sugar at levels between 8 to 12% and alcohol levels around 14%. ]After fermentation, the wine is placed in an
aging barrel for two to three years before it is bottled where it will continue aging. A Sauterne from a reputable estate can bottle age for over 30 years though they normally hit their peak 10 years after thevintage date. K. MacNeil "The Wine Bible" pg 139 Workman Publishing 2001 ISBN 1563054345 ]Tokaji
Tokaji wines are produced in the
Tokaj-Hegyalja region ofHungary and the Tokaj region ofSlovakia . Wine has been made in this region since as early as 1650, before the botrytized wines of Sauternes and theRheingau were produced. TheFurmint , Yellow Muscat, andHárslevelű grapes are the primary grapes used in this wine. In a manner similar toSherry , the wine is aged in partially filled barrels with a film of yeast on top and stored underground in wine cavern. J. Robinson "Jancis Robinson's Wine Course" pg 273-274 Abbeville Press Publisher 2003 ISBN 0789208830 ]German late harvest wines
In
Germany , wines are classified according to the ripeness of the grape at time of harvest. Within theQualitätswein mit Prädikat classification, there are four levels of late harvest wines, roughly ranging from dry to very sweet:Spätlese ("late harvest"),Auslese ("selected harvest"),Beerenauslese ("selected berries harvest") andTrockenbeerenauslese ("selected dried-berries harvest") with the last two levels being botrytized. K. MacNeil "The Wine Bible" pg 522-523 Workman Publishing 2001 ISBN 1563054345 ]Icewine
Ice wines are popular in the cold northernly wine regions of Germany and
Canada where the grapes can freeze on the vine. As the grapes are pressed, the frozen water crystals are eliminated leaving the highly concentrated sugar behind. J. Robinson "Jancis Robinson's Wine Course" pg 89 Abbeville Press Publisher 2003 ISBN 0789208830 ]References
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