Brett happens

Saint-Péray 2011, Version, François Villard ($28.85, 12129080)
Marsanne (85%) and Roussanne (15%) from 20-year-old vines. Pressed directly into the fermentation vats. Low-temperature fermentation with indigenous yeasts and weekly stirrings for six months. Matured on the lees in third- to fifth-fill barrels for 11 months. 13.7% ABV.
Subdued but lovely nose of pear, quince, white flowers and hints of honey, almond and fennel. Round and weighty in the mouth, where the equally subdued fruit tends to peach and apricot, while a sustained current of acidity and bitter minerals flows just under the polished surface. The waxy texture turns chalky on the long, lightly saline finish. Far from flashy but beautifully balanced and involving. Impeccable. (Buy again? Yes.)