noun
- Plural of botrytis; fungal diseases of plants, especially grapes, caused by Botrytis species; also called gray mold or noble rot.
Usage: Primarily used in agriculture and viticulture; Noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) is sometimes deliberately cultivated in winemaking to produce sweet wines
Examples
- The vineyard suffered from botrytises during the wet autumn.
- Botrytises can destroy entire grape harvests if not managed properly.
- In Sauternes production, controlled botrytises concentrate the sugars in the grapes.
- The fungal botrytises affected the strawberry crop this season.
- Winemakers in Bordeaux sometimes welcome botrytises for their dessert wines.