Thread: Southern Rhone
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DaleW DaleW is offline
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Default Southern Rhone

On Dec 20, 9:38*am, wrote:
> On Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:40:31 -0800 (PST), DaleW >
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> >I'm sure Mike is right about the brett, barnyard/dung is a classic
> >descriptor for *brettanomyces. The only questionable part of his
> >response is the "bad bottle"- it could be representative, there are
> >plenty of producers who typically show some brett.

>
> >I don't know of any subject that causes more controversy than brett:

>
> >Brett comes in multiple strains

>
> >Brett can "bloom" in bottles that see warmer storage, or have come
> >from one bottle, so there's no definitive way to say XX wine does or
> >doesn't have brett.

>
> >People vary a lot in their sensitivity to brett (and various strains
> >of the same),.

>
> >People vary a lot in whether they find objectionable (and many find
> >one strain ok and another objectionable)

>
> >So not surprising that you found it and DH didn't

>
> I'm one who can't stand it. Too many bottles are contaminated these
> days, some worse than others. Most of them seem to be Spanish and
> French. The minute I sense brett, *the bottle goes back or *gets
> dumped.
>
> I recent years I've had problems with wines from Pesquera (1996) and
> Condado de Haz (2001). When I returned the wines, the local rep tried
> to blow me off with some snooty b.s. about not appreciating the wines'
> "rustic style." Fact is there was nothing "rustic" about it -- the
> wine was contaminated. I have Condados in my cellar from other
> (earlier) vintages that are just fine.
>
> Some of you may recall a similar incident I had several years ago with
> Costco over a stanked-out Kirkland-label Bordeaux. I received a
> similarly arrogant "you don't know jack" attitude from their wine
> queen at the time, but I refused to back down. A few days later all
> that wine was pulled from their shelves.
>
> Brett -- a good name for a Maverick brother. Not so good as a wine
> "nuance."
>
> JJ


I have to say that lots of my all time favorite wines have shown a
touch of brett. The "Cordier funk" of 82 & 86 Gruaud, 86 Meyney, good
bottles of 90 Montrose or 89 Beaucastel.... Of course not every bottle
with brett appeals, there are limits for me both to how much before it
becomes problematic, and different strains bother me more than others.