The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Blue cheese, lemon tart, foie gras
✨ Technical Specifications
Named with d'Arenberg's signature eccentric wit, 'The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana' pays homage to the scientific name of the organism responsible for noble rot: Botryotinia fuckeliana (the teleomorph of Botrytis cinerea). This luscious sweet wine is crafted from grapes left on the vine in South Australia to be infected by this beneficial fungus, which dehydrates the berries and concentrates their sugars, acids, and flavors. The hand-harvested, botrytis-affected grapes undergo a slow, gentle pressing in traditional basket presses before a cool fermentation. The resulting nectar is incredibly complex, balancing intense sweetness with vibrant, refreshing acidity and showcasing the winery's dedication to traditional, hands-on winemaking.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1912 by Joseph Osborn, d'Arenberg stands as an iconic pillar of McLaren Vale viticulture, stewarded today by fourth-generation chief winemaker Chester Osborn. The estate spans undulating coastal landscapes influenced by the moderating maritime winds of the Gulf St Vincent, resting upon complex, ancient geologies ranging from calcareous Terra Rossa to sandy loam and weathered limestone. Viticulture is rigorous and certified organic and biodynamic across all estate-owned and leased vineyards. While renowned for formidable Rhone-style reds, d'Arenberg's white winemaking upholds identical artisanal rigor: gentle whole-bunch basket pressing ensures minimal phenolics and purity of expression. From the racy, textural The Money Spider Roussanne and crisp The Dry Dam Riesling to the lusciously layered botrytised expressions The Noble Semillon and The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana, the wines epitomize balance, crystalline minerality, and vibrant natural acidity.
🍇 Grapes
Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc
🍷 ABV
9.5% - 11.5%