Wine Defects (Part 1)

It is amazing. Of all the people I have ever seen drinking wine and there are certainly more than one or two, it's been extremely rare that I have heard any of them, other than my wife, say anything negative about them. Surely among all these people, I have observed them and been with them when they have been drinking severely tainted wine, but so many people just observe with their expectations. That is, if someone tells them it is good, then it must be good.

What are some of these flaws and how do you know that your wine has them?

Brettanomyces

Often known as just Brett, brettanomyces is a yeast. Lots of wines, in fact the large majority of French wines have some level of Brett in them. In smaller quantities, many think that Brett adds a savory flavor to wines. Perhaps you've found a wine with lots of mushroom or truffle notes. It moght be a function of the terroir in which the grapes were grown. It might be Brett.

When Brett is too plentiful, however, you should know it. And, if you get a bottle when eating or drinking out that has too much Brett, send it back.

What is the telltale sign? Wet dog! Imagine a long-haired dog that was playing in a pond. And, it comes to greet you and it has that smell. So does Brett.

Unintentional Bubbles

If you are drinking a wine that was intended to have bubbles, then you expect them. It was probably bottled with a special cork covered with a muselet (the cage that encloses the cork). It has gotten its bubbles more than likely through secondary fermentation.

Suppose you have a random wine and when you pour it, it is bubbly. It has likely inadvertently gone through secondary fermentation.

This is not a taste killer, but it will make the wine feel different. If you get a bottle like this when dining out, send it back.

Oxidation 

Oxidation occurs more frequently in less tannic wines than in those that are more tannic. It also tends to occur in older wines. That said, you tend to drink older wines only if you have them at home.

You'll notice oxidation because the color of the wine has changed meaningfully, particularly around the rim. This tends to happen because the cork has broken down just a bit. Essentially, when the cork has broken down, more oxygen comes in contact with the wine. However, in particularly tannic wines, the tannins serve to help shield the wine from oxygen. This is part of the reason that, generally speaking, tannic wines age better than less tannic ones.

Vinegary 

I don't know about you, but I don't drink vinegar. Not by itself, anyway. And, preferably, not at all. Sometimes a wine gets too much bacteria in it. Often, that happens with a cheaply made wine or it can happen when a cork has broken down after many years. While some refer to it as volatile acidity, to me, it's vinegar.

Light Damage 

Lots of people with wine collections, but usually not serious ones, like to show them off. They do that by having them in racks out in the open with light shining on them to highlight that one bottle they want to show off.

Guess what? Light is bad for them. 

This phenomenon, sometimes known as lightstrike, makes wines taste flat out putrid. And, the lighter the color of the wine, the worse it gets. So, if you love Sauvignon Blanc, for example, keep it out of the light.