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Reif Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected First Growth Riesling 2009 Wine Review

Reif Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected First Growth Riesling 2009

Reif Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected First Growth Riesling 2009

Niagara River, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada

Community Score:92/100

Community Reviews: 2

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Price: $50.00

Drink: 2011-2022

Bottle size: 200 ml

Alcohol: 8%

Wine Type: Dessert Wine


Winery: Reif

Agent: Reif Estate Winery

Natalie's Score: 92/100

Incredible balance and elegance in this gorgeous dessert wine! It's not too sweet, yet satisfying so with ripe, fleshy apricot and honeysuckle notes. It's voluptuous and layered with maximum hedonistic pleasure. As the winemaker notes, "Botrytis is naturally occurring 'noble rot' that has a beautiful effect on grapes however its presence is totally dependent on weather conditions, so we can never be sure which vineyards, if any, will produce botrytis wines in a given year. In 2009 winemakers Klaus W. Reif and Roberto DiDomenico selectively harvested grapes that had been naturally affected with Botrytis and then placed them in customized kilns so that the grapes became totally botrytis affected(TBA). The grapes were harvested Nov. 20, 2009 at 20.0 °Brix and were kiln dried until Dec. 2, 2009; at pressing grapes were 35.7° Brix. Translation: a deliciously rich elixir!

Riesling food pairings: blue cheese, fois gras, fruit desserts or on its own as a dessert.

Divine Dessert Wine

This Reif Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected First Growth Riesling 2009 was reviewed on September 11, 2013 by Natalie MacLean

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Botrytis is naturally occurring “noble rot” that has a beautiful effect on grapes, however, its presence is totally dependent on weather conditions. We can never be sure which vineyards, if any, will produce botrytis wines in a given year. In 2009 winemakers Klaus W. Reif and Roberto DiDomenico selectively harvested grapes that had been naturally affected with Botrytis and then placed them in customized kilns so that the grapes became totally botrytis affected(TBA). The grapes were harvested Nov. 20, 2009 at 20.0 °Brix and were kiln dried until Dec. 2, 2009; at pressing grapes were 35.7° Brix. The effect of the full development of botrytis in our kilns was that the ‘noble rot’ drew water out of the grapes, leaving behind ultra concentrated nectar then fermented into a dessert wine– the end result - a sweet intense wine with intense apricot aromas and flavours.

If you liked the Reif Estate Winery Totally Botrytis Affected First Growth Riesling 2009, you might also like these wines:

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