Brettanomyces in a port?

[Eric Menchen]

One evening at Vinologia in Porto my wife and I sampled 8 different ports. I thought I tasted Brettanomyces in one of them. I was wondering if this is common in some ports. If not common, did I find an uncommon port, or just a bad bottle?

I didn't take notes at the time, so I'm not absolutely sure which port it was. However, I was just looking through some photos from the evening, and from those I think it was in a Messias Vintage 2005. The next contenders in order of likelihood are a Quinta Santa Eufemia 10 Year Tawny, Quinta da Perlada LBV 2000, and a Casal dos Jordoes Tawny probably of 10 years, but I can't make that out on the bottle.

Thoughts?

-Eric

[Frederick Blais]

First, Brett can't exists in Port. Simply because the pure alcohol they put in would kill it and also it does not survive in 20% of alcohol per volume concentration.

I had Messias 2005 VP and it do not smell barnyard at all, it is surprisingly a very nice effort for this house!

[Eric Menchen]

I understand it couldn't live at that alcohol concentration, as it gives out around 12%, but I was wondering if it could have been in the source wine before the alcohol level was increased (which now that I think about it, goes against the single bottle consideration). It is found in a lot of Rhône wines, and at low levels not a bad thing. I thought I detected it, but it wasn't real strong.
-Eric

[Roy Hersh]

I have never experienced Brett. from any Port. I know it can exist beyond 12% abv though as I have had my share of stanky (in a good way) Rhones like '90 Beaucastel, to name one that always reeks like some horse just took a load in my glass.

That said, (sorry to be disgusting) I would imagine there was some other cause for that smell you experienced. Whether it was bacteriological or someone did not wash well. It is far more likely one of the wines was showing skunky, mushroom stink, wet newspaper, damp basement ... all of which are odors that can be attributed to TCA.

[Andy Velebil]

I can't say I've ever had a bretty Port before. I would have to lean toward it just being a bad bottle, possibly corked.