WTN: Maipo, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Oltrepò Pavese

A quick dinner last night with two interesting recent Pinot Noir arrivals at Alko and one interesting, but still not satisfying, Chilean that isn't available here.

• 2008 Quatrovinos Sigla 4 - Chile, Central Valley, Maipo Valley (2/22/2011)
  Syrah, Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot; 14% abv. Very dark. It smells of blackcurrant juice with a slight savoury twist. Full bodied and fruity but nicely tannic and with adequate acidity. The 12 months in oak only show a little. It is ok for a Chilean wine, but I am not hugely excited. But it is good to see something different being made in Chile.
• 1999 M. Doudet-Naudin Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Serpentières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru (2/22/2011)
  An elegantly rustic wine. Sweet, ripe fruit, bright and red and sunny, a little funky and animal - I love it, but it isn't really showing much Pinosity; instead it smells more like Musar! Full body, sweet and ripe, gamy. Nice wine, but reminds me more of Musar than Burgundy!
• 2009 Le Fracce Villa Rajna Provincia di Pavia IGT - Italy, Lombardia, Provincia di Pavia IGT (2/23/2011)
  13% abv; 5,7 g/l acidity; 7 g/l RS. The scent is very primary and sweet, quite simple in its berry aromas, but attractive and with a slight savoury edge. Pleasantly tart despite the slight residual sugar (which I really didn't notice at all...) and the fruit wearing its heart on its sleeve. Nice tannins, too, so it is fruit with a bite. An uncomplicated and fun wine that gave me much pleasure.

[*]1999 M. Doudet-Naudin Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Serpentières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru (2/22/2011)
An elegantly rustic wine. Sweet, ripe fruit, bright and red and sunny, a little funky and animal - I love it, but it isn't really showing much Pinosity; instead it smells more like Musar! Full body, sweet and ripe, gamy. Nice wine, but reminds me more of Musar than Burgundy!

Not to be too provocative, but isn't this an argument for why brett doesn't make wines tastes like Burgundy, Musar, Chateauneuf or whatever, it just makes wines taste like brett.

Not that this similarity means brett is evil or anything. Wines don't have to only express terroir in every fibre of their being to be interesting.

Possibly, except I wasn't talking about brett. But perhaps I am insensitive to small amounts of it because nobody has taken me seriously when I've said that Musar isn't bretty. It is wild, it is rustic, but I don't sense any shitty aromas in it. I do see a difference between the words "wild", "funky" or "rustic" vs. "brett". But, perhaps, I am alone. Or perhaps am I am extremely tolerant of a slight dose, but have become very intolerant of anything more? Anyways, I didn't see explicitly bretty aroms in this wine (or Musar), but rather delightfully funky aromas instead. And here we pick nits.

So yes, I agree, brett is brett. But I very much suspect that what is obvious brett to you might be perfectly acceptable to me - even to such degrees that I can still talk about purity of fruit.

Anyways, I didn't see explicitly bretty aroms in this wine (or Musar), but rather delightfully funky aromas instead. And here we pick nits.

So what do you think the funk is?

So yes, I agree, brett is brett. But I very much suspect that what is obvious brett to you might be perfectly acceptable to me - even to such degrees that I can still talk about purity of fruit.

We're talking about two different issues. I didn't say brett is unacceptable. I don't mind certain kinds in certain doses. But that is why Musar tastes like this Savigny, because they both have brett (and perhaps VA, as well as any number of other shared characteristics). All I'm saying is that while the wines may be delicious, when you're enjoying brett you're not enjoying the grape or the terroir. And there's nothing necessarily wrong with that. As I said, other aspects of the wine may show those things.

Hmm. I'm not a particular brett fan, but I adore Savigny and I've not detected brett in any of the Savingy reds that I've had the pleasure of tasting. Contrast that with some positively stinking Beaucastel CdPs that I've tasted. Maybe I'm just not as brett-conscious as others, but I've never found it to be a factor in Savigny-les-Beaune.

-Paul W.

Maybe I'm just not as brett-conscious as others, but I've never found it to be a factor in Savigny-les-Beaune.

-Paul W.

Isn't it more about the producer than the appellation?