Noble ROT
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Blue cheese, foie gras, fruit tarts
✨ Technical Specifications
In the sun-drenched corridors of Napa Valley, the occurrence of Botrytis cinerea—the benevolent fungus known as 'noble rot'—is a rare and magical anomaly. TOR Kenward's 'Noble ROT' is a testament to these fleeting moments of viticultural serendipity. Produced only in exceptional vintages when autumn mists linger long enough in the vineyards to coax the rot to bloom, this luscious dessert wine is crafted in the classic tradition of Sauternes. The botrytis naturally dehydrates the grapes on the vine, concentrating their sugars, acids, and flavors into a precious, golden nectar. Winemaker Jeff Ames coaxes this intensely concentrated juice through a slow, cool fermentation, followed by extended aging in French oak barrels. The result is a decadent, complex wine boasting notes of honeyed apricot, candied ginger, and orange marmalade, balanced by a vibrant spine of acidity that keeps the finish remarkably fresh.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2001 by Napa Valley veteran Tor Kenward and his wife Susan, TOR Kenward Family Wines represents the culmination of nearly five decades of immersion in California viticulture. Following a 27-year tenure shaping Beringer's private reserve programs, Kenward partnered with talented winemaker Jeff Ames to craft site-driven, artisanal single-vineyard expressions. The estate sources fruit exclusively from premier, sustainably farmed crus across Napa Valley and Carneros, including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Vine Hill Ranch, Dr. Crane, Hyde Vineyard, and Durell Vineyard. Winemaking is dictated by minimal intervention, featuring native-yeast primary and malolactic fermentations, parcel-specific French oak maturation, and bottling without fining or filtration. TOR's benchmark portfolio is anchored by cult Cabernet Sauvignons alongside sculpted, mineral-laced Chardonnays—notably the Durell Vineyard Cuvée Mimi, Torchiana Beresini Vineyard, and Hyde Vineyard bottlings—as well as the ultra-limited Bordeaux-blend cuvées Black Magic and Pure Magic.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc