Here are my comments on the recent push against Brett in wines:
Congratulations on your editorial pages slant against Brettanomyces flavors which I shall hereafter call the "War on Brett" (Vol. 32. No.15.) I've come to bury Brett, not to praise it.
Mr. Laube gives Brett a glancing blow in his column using the term "barnyard" with a tone of derision - why not be stronger in denunciation if it is so clearly dirty? It is left to Mr. Molesworth to call it out in the vernacular- "Brett is a flaw, plain and simple." Such a declaration of victory by black and white over grey is refreshing since most of the wine world remains on the fence, and god forbid, some tasters and consumers are actually inclined to like a bit of Brett.
A complexing yeast agent that arises from natural and non-interventionist wine making, Brett can be eradicated with proper hygiene in the winery and a regime of SO2. Enough said. Unfortunately, while winery hygiene is one thing we can all agree is a key to great wine, a regimented SO2 program is not. SO2 is problematic where winemakers choose to use naturally occurring yeasts or where an organic regime is in place where sensitivity to overall SO2 levels is a paramount concern. The global consumer continues to demand such attention to methods in every consumable product - can we really make the case that they really want more sulphur in their food chain rather than less? It is so much easier to demand change than to actually provide a holistic solution. Nevertheless, I've come to bury Brett, not to praise it.
Consumer demands for greater grape maturity and flavor development, mainly driven by critical reviews in magazines such as the Spectator, result in wines with higher Ph levels; a prime breeding ground for Brett. What has brought so many together and driven circulation, now threatens to drive us asunder? House styles in Bordeaux and the Rhone which have evolved over time include "bretty" flavors; a great number of which have been met with critical acclaim for decades, this magazine included. More recently such "bretty" flavors in abnormal concentrations have arisen farther afield in New World wineries and the results have been kindly termed "amateurish and faux world." In an ill-conceived attempt to provide gravitas to weaker vinous efforts, the equally common human spoilage agent is most responsible for this backlash against Brett.
Perhaps it is time to re-task our legions on those winemakers so desirous of high scores that they will resort to any artifice to achieve it.
Long live Brett.
