noble rot
noun
: a botrytis fungus (Botrytis cinerea) that infects various usually overripe wine grapes causing shriveling which results in increased sugar and flavor content and is responsible for the characteristic flavor of sauternes and related wines
Examples of noble rot in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This noble rot concentrates the sugars of the grapes and after they are fermented the resulting wine is deliciously sweet.
—
Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2024
Morning fog and ideal temperatures moderated by the region’s two rivers create the perfect condition to allow noble rot or botrytis to form and concentrate the grape’s sugars.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2024
Sauternes This is a sweet wine made from noble rot in France’s Bordeaux region.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024
While today the wine is produced in more traditional methods, at the time noble rot was believed impossible in the Napa Valley — making the Nightingale wine a celebrated anomaly.
—Bryce Wiatrak, SFChronicle.com, 12 Apr. 2018
Tokaj Aszú is made from grapes affected by noble rot.
—Per and Britt Karlsson, Forbes, 24 June 2022
The Tokaji aszú wines are made by macerating the whole berries of highly concentrated noble rot grapes affected by botrytis in the wine must over a span of a couple of days.
—Cathrine Todd, Forbes, 2 June 2021
Semillon dominates but Sauvignon Blanc can also be affected by the noble rot.
—Per and Britt Karlsson, Forbes, 12 Apr. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2024
Morning fog and ideal temperatures moderated by the region’s two rivers create the perfect condition to allow noble rot or botrytis to form and concentrate the grape’s sugars.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2024
Sauternes This is a sweet wine made from noble rot in France’s Bordeaux region.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024
While today the wine is produced in more traditional methods, at the time noble rot was believed impossible in the Napa Valley — making the Nightingale wine a celebrated anomaly.
—Bryce Wiatrak, SFChronicle.com, 12 Apr. 2018
Tokaj Aszú is made from grapes affected by noble rot.
—Per and Britt Karlsson, Forbes, 24 June 2022
The Tokaji aszú wines are made by macerating the whole berries of highly concentrated noble rot grapes affected by botrytis in the wine must over a span of a couple of days.
—Cathrine Todd, Forbes, 2 June 2021
Semillon dominates but Sauvignon Blanc can also be affected by the noble rot.
—Per and Britt Karlsson, Forbes, 12 Apr. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Noble rot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noble%20rot. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share