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Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, or "Vinny" for short. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the technical aspects of winemaking to the fine points of etiquette. I hope you find my answers educational and even amusing. Want to see more of them? Check out my archive. And here are my most Frequently Asked Questions.

Dear Dr. Vinny,

I'm researching wines and several tasters have described a wine as "bretty." I'm unfamiliar with the term. What does it mean?

—Keith M., Oklahoma City

Dear Keith,

If someone describes a wine as "bretty," it means they are picking up the character of a spoilage yeast called Brettanomyces, or "brett." Some people like the spicy component it adds to a wine at low concentrations. At higher levels, it comes across as barnyardy, horsey, gamey, or metallic. "Bretty" is almost always used as a negative term, suggesting these characteristics are obtrusive or out of balance in the wine.

—Dr. Vinny

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