What is a flaw in wine?

Is there such a thing as perfection in wine? We know when a wine is tainted but there are other things, such as brettanomyces, volatile acidity, oxidation and reduction that we find in some of the great wines in the world. Are these flaws? Are they intentional? Or are they assets in the wine? This topic was one of the fascinating seminars at TEXSOM this past August in Dallas which I wrote about in the Napa Valley Register and share here. These are topics definitely worth thought and discussion and I thank Jamie Goode and Elaine Chukan Brown for leading this interesting discussion. Here is an interesting thought: what exactly is a flaw in wine or when is it part of the character? We know when a wine is tainted with TCA (trichloroanisole) or TBA (tribromoanisole), the wine has undesirable aromas and is not the intention of the winemaker. But, what about other things such as brettanomyces, volatile acidity, oxidation and reduction? Are these flaws or choices? Do these things enhance a wine or destroy a wine? This was a fascinating topic covered at the 15th Annual TexSom, a two-day conference in Dallas presented by the Court of Master Sommeliers, Guild Somm, Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and SommFoundation. Jamie Goode, Ph.D, and Elaine Chukan Brown led a discussion of what constitutes a flaw and how that may, or may not, be considered a flaw in the current era.