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Bread-like aroma

I opened a bottle of Andezon 2009 Cotes du Rhone, and immediately noted an aroma of fresh-baked bread. This only intensified as it sat in the glass. While not unpleasant in and of itself, I could not abide it in my wine. It did not seem to bother my wife too much. For me, it was strong enough to be detected across the room! There was no spritz to the wine, so I don't think it was a re-fermentation issue. I though I could have just gotten a bad bottle, so I opened a second one a few days later. Same thing.

My brother who owns a wine bar in Berkley suggested that it could be an over preponderance of brettanomyces, but I've always heard of that being described as "sweaty saddle" (though I confess I've never had occasion to sniff such an object). ;-) Could it be diacetyl? Could this not be a fault at all and I am just being overly sensitive?

Regards,

Reply to
Bill O'Meally
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Interesting question, Bill. An odor of fresh-baked bread to me describes the smell of yeast and its products. If the wine you got this from was the Domaine d'Andezon Cotes du Rhone from the co-op in Estazargues, it's a Syrah-based wine that I've really liked in the past (still have some '06 in the cellar). It might be that the wine was recently bottled, but it doesn't sound like any form of Brett that I've encountered and it's not diacetyl (that's the overtly buttery odor that you often get in California Chardonnays). How about splash decanting the wine and letting it sit for 15-30 minutes before trying it? Often times, those less-than-pleasant odors in young wines "blow off" with a little airing.

Mark Lipton

p.s. What's the name of your brother's wine bar? I'm periodically out in Berkeley.

Reply to
Mark Lipton

Estezargues wines are all without SO2 added, so I would not keep too long.

The smell could be due to reduction. A copper coin left 10 minutes in the bottle would take care of that. Try

Mike

Reply to
Mike Tommasi

Thanks Mark. Your recommendation worked like a charm! I was so not looking forward to returning the case, though my wine vendor was perfectly happy to do so.

The wine bar is called Casa Vino. Not in a great neighborhood, but the food is great, inexpensive, and they have an extensive wine-by-the-glass list. Mention my name if you go. My brother's name is Chris.

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Thanks again!

Reply to
Bill O'Meally

Thanks Mike. You are exactly right that this is an Esezargues wine, though it does say "contains sulfites" on the label. My vendor stated that it was made solely for the American market, so maybe they sulfite that lot. Interesting idea with the copper coin, though. I may try that with one of the bottles!

Reply to
Bill O'Meally

I'm glad that it help, Bill. Since you've got a case, I'd advise opening up a bottle every month or so and seeing how the wine develops. It's one of the great deals in Syrah IMO.

Whoa! I usually take people's comments of "not great" neighborhoods with a grain of salt, having myself grown up in a "not great" neighborhood... but Ashby and Sact'o is indeed a dicey place to do business. I'll stop in when I'm out there in March and say hi for you.

Cheers! Mark Lipton

Reply to
Mark Lipton

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