That fresh, fruit forward, balanced wine you sampled years ago and purchased a few bottles to set back for a while? It's now got a gamey or Band-Aid taste to it. The culprit? Most likely it's a case of brettanomyces, a yeast that in some instances can add "character" to a wine, while in others can be a total turn off.

I recently encountered two cases of brett in wine, both of which helped me realize that I have a high sensitivity toward a particular compound, 4-ethylpheno (4EP), which tends to impart smells of a barnyard or stable as well as pharmaceutical or Band-Aid odors. My palate is more attuned to the latter case, prompting me to literally turn up my nose at any wine that smells like Band-Aids.

According to Jamie Goode's book, "The Science of Wine", brett seems to be on the rise due to two influences, natural winemaking practices and more extracted, ripe wines. Goode cites the lack of using sulfur dioxide in the winemaking process as a leading culprit. He also suggests that the riper style of wines leads to higher levels of pH, which tend to diffuse the affects of sulfur dioxides.

The natural winemaking reason may be the cause for Brett showing up in a couple of bottles of Scott Paul 2005 La Paulée Pinot Noir, which I purchased while visiting their winery in 2007. Much to my dismay, I was met with a strong Band-Aid odor when opening the first bottle and had the same experience with the second. Others that I was dining with picked up on the smell, but it didn't bother them as much as it did me.

Soon after, I contacted the folks at Scott Paul to inform them of my experience, whereupon they immediately offered to refund my money or replace them with new bottles (after sending them back both bottles, my purchase was refunded). This experience did not alter my impression of Scott Paul wines, for I remain a huge fan of their product.

In fact, their response to my situation has made me a lasting customer, for they demonstrated fantastic customer service addressing my issue. Which goes to show that if you encounter a wine that has changed over time and is no longer to your liking, then let the winery or retailer know. Most often you will receive similar treatment as I did.

On another occasion, I realized the nuances that brett brings to the wine experience, especially in terms of one's sensitivity toward certain compounds. At Taste Washington's "Party Likes It's 1999" seminar, five flights of cab were offered, each produced by a different winemaker, with a 1999 wine alongside a 2006 vintage. As I lifted the final wine, a Betz Family Winery 1999 “Père de Famille” Cabernet Sauvignon to my nose, I was taken aback by the overwhelming smell of Band-Aids.

As Bob Betz, moderator of the panel, introduced his wines to the audience, I sat there in disbelief as to why he would allow this wine to be poured, since it clearly was suffering from a case of brett. Much to my pleasant surprise, Betz stated that he could not help but notice some of the reactions coming from those smelling and tasting his wine, as he knew it had brett in it.

For some, such as Alder Yarrow of Vinography who was sitting near me, the brett added character to the Betz cab, so much so that Yarrow ended up claiming this was the best wine of the flight. For me, it was as if this cab had been soaked in a bucket of Band-Aids and was essentially undrinkable.

Afterward, I approached Yarrow to ask him if he picked up on any of the Band-Aid or pharmaceutical smell, which he did not. This isn't to suggest one of us was wrong and the other was right. Rather, it's an interesting example of how palates differ, each having a unique calibration or sensitivity toward certain chemical compounds. Whether dealing with a wine that suffers from brett or has avoided this yeast, it's all subjective.

Regardless, if the wine turns you off due to an inherent fault, then return it for another bottle or a refund. That is if someone else you're dining with doesn't mind consuming what you deem undrinkable.