Botrytized wines Botrytis cinerea

The yeast strain used for fermentation had no impact on the enantiomer distribution of these volatile thiols. 3SHA is generally considered to be formed by esterification of 3SH by yeast during alcoholic fermentation. The esterase or lipase involved probably acetylates 3SH with a certain enantioselectivity. In contrast, the enantiomer distribution of 3SH in wine made from botrytized grapes (Botrytis cinerea) is 25 75 in favor of the S form, which has also been found in botrytized must (Thibon et al. 2007,2008a). 

Tokay is a famous botrytized sweet wine prodnced in Hungary. Several types of wine exist under the same name. The most renowned is the Tokay Azsu, which is a perfectly balanced, perfumed and delicate sweet wine. As with Sautemes wines, Botrytis cinerea transforms the grape to form noble rot, but in different conditions. 

Botrytis Effect on Fermentation. Peynaud et al. (28) suggest that Botrytis cinerea ( noble rot ) produces a substance that inhibits yeast activity. While this substance has not been isolated in the United States, it has been the author s observation that botrytis-infected grapes ferment at a slower rate and have more difficulty completing fermentation. This fermentation inhibition also may be attributable to the higher initial °Brix and, later, to the ethanol and higher residual sugar content of the botrytized wines. 

With botrytized grapes, stems protect wine color from oxidasic casse. The laccase activity of Botrytis cinerea is most likely fixated or inhibited. 

The biology of Botrytis cinerea and its development in the form of noble or vulgar rot have been described in (Section 10.6). This overripening process, noble rot, permits the production of great botrytized sweet wines. These exceptional wines can only be made in specific conditions. Their production is therefore limited. 

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