The important term to define in this thread is “flaw.”
To my mind, a flaw is something more of a true defect in the product, the kind that should allow me to return the bottle or to send it back. Fizzy red wines, TCA, bacterial spoilage, prematurely oxidized white wine.
There being more or less of some wine characteristic than I personally prefer is different, I wouldn’t use the word “flaw” to describe that.
This will prompt someone (cough, @larry_schaffer , cough) to challenge how I know what is a flaw and what is not a flaw, and no doubt it has some subjectivity to it (e.g. how much VA or brett before it goes from a subjective like/dislike into a true flaw). And sure, that’s a rabbit-hole, but still, that is how that term works in my mind, anyway.
I asked my dog “hey, do you think your snub nose is a flaw?”
She replied “no, I’m a shih tzu, it’s supposed to be this way. If I were a doberman, on the other hand, it would be a different story.”
I think those are 2 different things. I get that pool toy (I call it tennis ball tube but I bet we are talking about the same thing) on young rIeslings, timorassos etc, and then on old rieslings where you first have to guess whether its winter or summer diesel.
I do usually step in and talk about the ‘subjectivity’ of every aspect of wine - and ‘flaws’ are certainly in that camp.
That said, you drink enough wine to know what a flaw is TO YOU - and to describe them with enough detail to make others understand what you are calling out…
To me, that’s perfect for 99% if folks - the only ones it’s not adequate for are the few that are either super sensitive to, or feel that they are at least, specific flaws and call them out regularly, regardless if anyone else agrees with them.
