Which fruit is affected by the benevolent fungus known as 'Noble Rot'?
Noble rot were introduced, and the original "Spätlese" was further elaborated, first into Auslese in 1787 and later Eiswein in 1858 (although Eiswein is usually made from grapes not affected by "Botrytis"). In some cases inoculation occurs when spores of the fungus are sprayed over the grapes, while some vineyards depend on natural inoculation from spores present in the environment. The fungus perforates the grapes' skin, allowing water in the grape to evaporate during dry conditions, and thereby raising the sugar concentration in the remaining juice. Some of the finest botrytized wines are picked berry by berry in successive (French for "selections").
Noble rot Noble rot Noble rot (; ; ; ) is the beneficial form of a grey fungus, "Botrytis cinerea", affecting wine grapes. Infestation by "Botrytis" requires moist conditions. If the weather stays wet, the damaging 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 is known as noble rot. Grapes when picked at a certain point during infestation can produce particularly fine and concentrated sweet wine. Wines produced by this method are known as botrytized wines.