Dear Dr. Winestain,
What is “Brett,” and how is it in my wine? Is it a mystical yeast creature lurking in the depths of wine barrels. Could you enlighten me on what exactly Brett is? How does this enigmatic entity find its way into our wines? Are there daredevil winemakers out there who, in their quest for complexity, willingly invite Brett into their cellars? Or is it more of a gamble, a roll of the dice with Mother Nature herself? I'm eager to understand the double-edged sword of Brett—the good, the bad, and the funky.
Dr. Winestain: Ah, Brettanomyces, or "Brett" to its friends and foes alike. It's a genus of yeast that prefers to live on the wild side, often gatecrashing your wine to impart 'unique' flavors - think of a barnyard-themed party in your glass. Some say it adds complexity, while others reckon it's about as welcome as a skunk at a perfume party. Its presence in wine?
Unlike its more well-behaved cousin Saccharomyces cerevisiae, responsible for the primary fermentation of wine, Brett can be a bit of a wild card. It can be seen as a testament to the unpredictable art of winemaking, where sometimes the microbes throw their own little fiesta.
How Does It Get into Wine? Brett can enter the winemaking process in several ways. It may be present on the grapes themselves, lurking in the nooks and crannies of the winery, or biding its time in the wood of barrels.
Do Winemakers Choose to Inoculate with It? Ah, now here's where the plot thickens. Some winemakers, those renegade poets of the palate, do indeed choose to dance with Brett and use it to create their signature style. They appreciate the complexity and edge it can bring to their wines, particularly in styles where a touch of the wild is part of the charm. However, it's more a dance of partnership than outright inoculation, allowing Brett to enter the scene under controlled conditions.
Do Some Gamble With It? Indeed, there are those who flirt with fate, allowing Brett to join the fermentation fest uninvited. It's a gamble that can result in a wine of unparalleled complexity or, alternatively, a concoction more suited to polishing boots than pleasing palates.
Positives and Negatives of Brett The positives, as some would argue, include the addition of unique aromas and flavors that can add depth to wine—notes of spice, leather, and earth that whisper tales of terroir and untamed landscapes. But Brett is a beast of many faces, and its darker aspects can overshadow a wine's fruit character with less welcome aromas of barnyards, band-aids, and all manner of funk and sweaty horse saddles.
In conclusion, the story of Brettanomyces in wine is a tale of balance, risk, and intention. It asks: is the character of Brett the hero or villain of the piece? The answer lies in the winemaker’s skill and the palate of the audience.