24 Nov 2011
Breakthrough in the battle against Brett
![Image](/jancis-public/styles/article_xs_x1/public/legacy/images/articles/b34614eb69476801ada12c9a4d0ffc42b.jpg)
See Peter Godden's response in More on the battle against Brett.
Researchers at the AWRI (Australian Wine Research Institute) in Adelaide have achieved a major breakthrough in their decade-long fight against the spoilage yeast Brettanomyces, commonly known as Brett, that in very small amounts can give a wine an earthy, meaty or spicy flavour – increased complexity some would say – but at higher levels leads to aromas described as medicinal or reminiscent of stables, sticking plaster and worse, as well as giving a hard, metallic taste on the palate. Consumer trials in Australia found that the majority...