Botrytis Cinerea

A beneficial fungus, also known as noble rot, which is necessary to produce many of the world’s great sweet wines, including Sauternes. In certain years, when the degree of humidity is just right, Botrytis cinerea will attack grapes, covering them with a gray mold. The mold lives by penetrating the grapes’ skins and using up the available water in the juice. This concentrates the sugar, flavor, and ACID so that a COMPLEX wine of exceptional sweetness can be made. Botrytis is unique in that, unlike other molds, it produces flavors that harmonize with the flavors of particular grapes.

Mataro, zibbibo, and mazuelo are also known as:

A. muscat, chenin blanc, and malbec

B. zinfandel, roussanne, and tempranillo

C. mourvèdre, muscat, and carignan

D. merlot, vermentino, and sangiovese

Mataro is the name that was sometimes used historically in California for the Spanish red grape mourvèdre. Zibbibo is the name used in Sicily and Italy’s other southern volcanic islands for the white grape muscat of Alexandria. In South Africa, steen is the local name for chenin blanc. And in northern Spain the red grape mazuelo (which is often used in Rioja where it is blended with tempranillo and garnacha) is what the French call carignan.

Crafty Opossum Downs Craft Spirit

According to The Drinks Business, this merry marsupial snuck into Cash’s, a Florida liquor store, the day after Thanksgiving, broke a bottle of bourbon then drank the entire contents. The brand was not revealed. Found… Continue reading

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