The Under $20 A Bottle Wine Thread:

TheRiddick · 02-05-2009, 05:46 PM

No. Most famous is what, Pegau? Bretty as hell.

That's the wine that started my "discussion" with Parker in the first place. We had at least 3 lab tested bottles come back with positive results. Parker then claimed that HIS bottle, which he just popped, out of his own cellar as our online discussion was taking place, had NO BRETT, "whistle clean" as he called it. Unfortunately for him, the owner and winemaker of Pegau, Laurence, chimed in to state that ALL of their wines HAVE BRETT. That was a stunner, for sure. Not in terms of knowing about brett in their wines (anyone visiting the place will tell you how disgustingly unclean it is), but that Parker put his palate on the line and was contradicted by the owner of the winery.

Parker consistently scores Pegau high, but personally I can't believe people pay such a high price for a chemical experiment gone bad and then claim the wine is great only because Parker said so.

But I can also point you at a number of CdPs that are clean and do show their fruit well. Too bad they are not scored as highly as Pegau, but then again, that's a good thing in my book and their prices are not bid up by point chasers.

Big problem with brett is that even if you happen to pop a cork on a bottle that has small amounts of it, you really need to finish that bottle quickly or face brett bloom quickly with air contact.

The new generation of French vignerons is increasingly coming to study at UC Davis and other schools outside of France, many come to CA to work as cellar rats and hands as well and this is quickly changing what is going on in France in terms of cleanliness at the winery.

02-05-2009, 05:46 PM	#11
TheRiddick Non-believer Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Greg Location: Las Vegas Posts: 943 Trading: (7)	Re: The Under $20 A Bottle Wine Thread: No. Most famous is what, Pegau? Bretty as hell. That's the wine that started my "discussion" with Parker in the first place. We had at least 3 lab tested bottles come back with positive results. Parker then claimed that HIS bottle, which he just popped, out of his own cellar as our online discussion was taking place, had NO BRETT, "whistle clean" as he called it. Unfortunately for him, the owner and winemaker of Pegau, Laurence, chimed in to state that ALL of their wines HAVE BRETT. That was a stunner, for sure. Not in terms of knowing about brett in their wines (anyone visiting the place will tell you how disgustingly unclean it is), but that Parker put his palate on the line and was contradicted by the owner of the winery. Parker consistently scores Pegau high, but personally I can't believe people pay such a high price for a chemical experiment gone bad and then claim the wine is great only because Parker said so. But I can also point you at a number of CdPs that are clean and do show their fruit well. Too bad they are not scored as highly as Pegau, but then again, that's a good thing in my book and their prices are not bid up by point chasers. Big problem with brett is that even if you happen to pop a cork on a bottle that has small amounts of it, you really need to finish that bottle quickly or face brett bloom quickly with air contact. The new generation of French vignerons is increasingly coming to study at UC Davis and other schools outside of France, many come to CA to work as cellar rats and hands as well and this is quickly changing what is going on in France in terms of cleanliness at the winery.