For The Love Of Port

Last week I was at a restaurant and ordered a glass of Malbec. It smelled of, well, feces. Is this what people mean when they say a wine with VA has a "barnyard" smell?

It got me thinking. While I would like to think I could tell if a bottle has a serious flaw, I realized that I don't really know what corked, cooked, VA and oxidized really mean in terms of their taste and smell. Can anyone give me a description?

Hi Robert,

VA and barnyard are two different things.

Corked wine will smell and taste like wet moldy cardboard. The fruit in the wine will often be subdued or non-existent.

VA stands for Volatile Acidity. It has an aroma similar to organic solvents such as acetone or finger nail polish remover.

Oxidized wines will have an aroma similar to some styles of sherry. They can also smell like cooked squash.

I don't have much experience with cooked wines but I've heard them described as having flavors and aromas of stewed tomatoes.

A wine having a smell of feces is definitely barnyard which is caused by a type of yeast known as Brett. Too much is definitely a flaw but some people including myself don't mind small amounts because it makes the wine more complex.

It's important to note that depending on the style of wine, these characteristics aren't always flaws. For example I don't mind and even expect slight oxidation in old Tawnies and Colheita's. Likewise, Madeiras having some VA is also not a flaw.

I hope this helps and I'm sure others will have more details to add.

And if you want more info on your fecal matter wine flaw the full name is Brettanomyces bruxellensis or Dekkera. I am sure if you do a search on a search engine you will find more than you ever wanted to know.

Thanks, this is very helpful. I could see how a SLIGHT amount of brett might be interesting, but in this particular case, it was overwhelming.

I like Brett in my Rhone wines and to a lesser extent, in an occasional Bordeaux. But I disdain Brett in Port or Madeira (although I love VA in my Madeira!).

I also don't mind a little brett in some dry wines, but never in a Port. No matter how you look at it, brett is technically a flaw in wine....where is that pot stirring emoticon at

I can't say I've ever experienced Brett in a Port or say, a white wine. I don't think I'd like it in those styles. As mentioned, small amounts can work in Rhone, Bordeaux, and other red wines.

If Brett is in my port I'll kick his ass... :twisted:

Who said Georges Brett had a flaw ?