Question on terroir and aromas

I tried my first Tablas Creek wine, the 2005 Esprit, and was amazed at how "french" it smelled! You know that damp, earthy, barnyard, funky thing? I thought that the aromas in wine were driven by terroir (and wild yeast in the area the wine was produced).
I do know that Tablas Creek vines were grown from cuttings imported from Beaucastel.
So how does wine made in Paso Robles, from grapes grown there acquire the nose I associate with French wines?

Funky barnyard is brett, a universal microbe, nothing French, Italian, Spanish, or American about it.

Thanks for the reply Rahsaan,
I've not encountered any other California wines (or SA, Spanish, Italian) with that barnyard aroma, so why just Tablas Creek?
Could it be something in the wine making process? Maybe something they encourage to simulate the French?

Just to be clear, the microbe, brettanomyces, is a yeast that isn't exactly stimulated in the winemaking process--at least no one admits to it that way. Many call it the result of "terroir."

It could be brett, but it could also be the healthy amount (44%) of Mouvedre in the wine that you're smelling...or a combination of both!

sounds like brett to me too. A little of it adds character..too much does not. I have encountered it in other American producers as well. It is not really confined to French wines. I have however, heard of it being referred to as "euro-funk". Does that mean, it is more encountered in European wines?

Certainly more prevalent in the Rhones and Burgundies I've had than in Californians.

Certainly more prevalent in the Rhones and Burgundies I've had than in Californians.

Which would likely be the result of less careful (or just less) lab testing. Nowadays, it's not usual for a CA wine to get released if there's still high amounts of brett, as it can be handled before bottling.

And I wasn't aware that Mourvedre smelled like shit. Go figure.

Does not Mourvedre have a more earthy smoky leathery kind of thing going?

I think Hoke has it right. I've smelled barnyard/found brett in wines from all over the place. It is less common in CA because of the focus on 'clean' wines.

That said, Tablas Creek does have a reputation for making French-styled wines. Which means they don't always have the same (over)ripeness of other CA wines or the same excessive oak treatment. And perhaps a little brett as well. Who knows, maybe they even have some limestone? But the funk sounds like brett.

Beaucastel's nose gets a one-two and we need to be careful about distinguishing the elements. The Bret gives the really stinky bit but the Mourvedre, of which they use more than many CNduP wineries, gives a more funky leather animal sort of nose, at least for the first 8-10 years of the wine's life. Which is why I prefer to drink my Beaucastel with some age on it.

I've had people sniff wines high in mourvedre but lacking as far as I could tell in brettiness and pronounce them full of brett (Dom. Tempier fro example) so it is a common confusion.

[Robin Garr]

I've had people sniff wines high in mourvedre but lacking as far as I could tell in brettiness and pronounce them full of brett (Dom. Tempier fro example) so it is a common confusion.

It's also worth noting that Mourvèdre, like Syrah and quite a few other grapes, shows a distinctly different profile related to ripeness and sun exposure: Fruity and bright when very ripe; all about herbs and "tree bark" and "animaux" in cooler climates (or with canopy management to keep them in the shade). It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Tablas Creek vitifying and vinifying for a "European" style.

I love Tablas Creek, by the way, and although this can go too far even for me, I'll generally choose an interestingly stinky wine over one that's been taken to the cleaners until it got boring.

I think Hoke has it right. I've smelled barnyard/found brett in wines from all over the place. It is less common in CA because of the focus on 'clean' wines.

That said, Tablas Creek does have a reputation for making French-styled wines. Which means they don't always have the same (over)ripeness of other CA wines or the same excessive oak treatment. And perhaps a little brett as well. Who knows, maybe they even have some limestone? But the funk sounds like brett.

Though the TablasCreek wines do have, I agree, a sorta French profile (lower alcohol, less ripe/overripe character); I don't think I've got any noticible brett character in them for quite a few yrs now. I've gotten some funky character that I associate w/ Mourvedre, but don't recall any
barnyardy/brett character in any recent ones. I think the Tablas wines are really quite clean and would be surprised if they test positive for brett.
Terroir speaks in many tongues and with many accents. I must admit (gasp!!) I don't always recognize terroir in a wine. The Tablas soils are pretty unique for Calif (very/very chalky/limestone), which is quite different from the Beaucastel soils. I think it's probably the winemaking that gives them any French terroir character.

I tried my first Tablas Creek wine, the 2005 Esprit, and was amazed at how "french" it smelled! You know that damp, earthy, barnyard, funky thing? I thought that the aromas in wine were driven by terroir (and wild yeast in the area the wine was produced).
I do know that Tablas Creek vines were grown from cuttings imported from Beaucastel.
So how does wine made in Paso Robles, from grapes grown there acquire the nose I associate with French wines?

Mike,
I don't think it's either the plant material or the native/indigenous yeasts that would give the Tablas any French terroir character. I think Jason's intent is to make a "French" style blended wine and they've adjusted their winemaking techniques to give that character. SteveEdmunds makes Roussanne from their grapes (and a very good one at that) and I think it reflects Calif more than French....and Steve is a guy that makes, I think, rather French-style Rhones...maybe even "low-brow Cotes du Rhone" as some critics claim.
Tom

Funky barnyard is brett, a universal microbe, nothing French, Italian, Spanish, or American about it.

Unless it is Beaucastel!

Funky barnyard is brett, a universal microbe, nothing French, Italian, Spanish, or American about it.

Unless it is Beaucastel!

They tend to deny the presence of Brett, which usually means unclean fermentation room techniques.

It is a tad puzzling as I have tasted both 1989 and 1990 that were completely Bret-free (these are a couple of the most notoriously Bret-ridden vintages)

[SteveEdmunds makes Roussanne from their grapes (and a very good one at that) and I think it reflects Calif more than French....and Steve is a guy that makes, I think, rather French-style Rhones...maybe even "low-brow Cotes du Rhone" as some critics claim.
Tom

LOL Tom! I would even laugh louder had it been a certain Philly lawyer that had said that.

no grape has leathery or any other non fruit charactheristics. please lets be clear about that. anything that isn't related to fruit is the result of yeast or bacteria or oak or..... what am i missing?

no grape as leathery or any other non fruit charactheristics. please lets be clear about that. anything that isn't related to fruit is the result of yeast or bacteria or oak or..... what am i missing?

Reduction, oxidation, various additions, unintended ml, and what am I missing?

Funky barnyard is brett, a universal microbe, nothing French, Italian, Spanish, or American about it.

Unless it is Beaucastel!

Just because it appears in France doesn't mean it is a special 'French' characteristic. It appears everywhere.

Just because it appears in France doesn't mean it is a special 'French' characteristic. It appears everywhere.

Rahsaan, my comment was offered TIC reflecting the historic denial of brett by Beaucastel. Of course I know that brett is not a 'French' characteristic.

I see I am rather late, by 10 years, to this discussion, however my search for the scientific explanation for the barnyard and horse sweat qualities in Rhone style wines was explained by Robin Garr and now I need to go further. I did first experience the barnyard term and presence at Ch. Beaucastel and at Tablas Creek. I would be happy to spend the rest of my life drinking from those vineyards alone, but that plan isn't very practical for everyday wine selections. So the question is: what wines has anyone enjoyed recently in the $30-ish or less range I can begin to search for. I understand from previous posts that the mourvedre grape is a starting point. Right now I am buying Guigal Cotes Du Rhone and Jaboulet Parallel 45 for some everyday choices and yes, they are at the lower range price points, but fit the bill for serving to one's millennial children. Special occasions are easy, but any suggestions for the lesser prices BRETT graced wines?
Mary Ann, Bluffton, SC

[David M. Bueker]

Domaine du Cayron

Etna reds from Italia!!