The story behind Noble Late Harvest

Thursday, 3 January, 2013
Lourensford Wine Estate
Noble late Harvest (NLH) doesn't occur every season but only when the conditions are absolutely right. The weather must be moist at night and humid in the mornings, not too wet and rainy, followed by drier, sunny days. The previous NLH from Lourensford was produced in 2009 and before that, 2005.
There is a very fine line between Noble rot and just plain grey rot. Noble rot happens when Botrytis cinerea, a fungus, starts growing on the grape berries and removes some of the fluids. The berries then become shrivelled up and the juice concentrates: the result being a rich, sweet and perfumy wine without being simply sugary.

Take into consideration that our NLH was picked only on 10 May this year, 5 weeks after our last Shiraz on 2 April so it is with utmost patience that we wait for it to be perfect.

Harvested from Semillon at a Balling of just below 38, this is a wine to look forward to. In the meantime, the 2009 Noble Late Harvest is available now.