Patience is a virtue I do NOT possess.  And we live in an age of “I want it NOW!”  This, my friends, is a first world problem!

So, I’m learning to wait, breathe and learn the art of patience….waiting for all my irons in the fire to be pulled out (they seem to be piling up while I wait for the explosion of all them being released at the same time!) Oh yes…and wine.

How many of us have all those Bordeaux, Burgundy, Amarone and German Rieslings sitting in our cellars waiting for just the right time to be pulled out, sipped and savoured?  However, given that OTBN (Open That Bottle Night) just happened, I read that many of you pulled out that gem just waiting to be cracked open.  But for others who have minimal wine cellar offerings, you might be still waiting!  At least I am!

But not just that…it’s even in the glass.  Ever poured a glass of wine, you swirl, sniff and take a sip…you’re expecting great things.  Instead, it’s just locked up and angry.  Hmm…this is NOT what I was looking for!  Case in point:  My manager was at a Portfolio tasting, all Italian wines, and this particular Valpolicella was his favourite of the whole tasting.  He was so impressed with it that he got an allocation for the store, bought a bottle for himself, but wanted me to taste it, so he opened it about half hour before he left for home.  (I love me a good Val, so I was pretty excited to try this one.) There was keen disappointment in his eyes:  It was NOT tasting the same as when he tried it at the portfolio tasting.  Oh, what to do!!

This is what he opened:  2011 Pieorpan Ruberpan Valpolicella Superiore.  Made in Valpolicella DOC in the Veneto Region, with a blend of local varietals, most typically Corvina and Rondinella.  In this case, 60% Corvina, 30% consisting of Corvinone, Rondinella and Croatina.  The balance of 5% is “old traditional Valpolicella varietals” (Molinara perhaps?) Usually lots of flavours, depth of character and well-balanced.  I took a taste and thought, ok..it’s not bad, but the raves?  Let me just go do a few more things around the store and try later.  OK!  A little better…but still…not quite there.  I joked to my manager that by 10 pm this should be fantastic!  Sure enough, not 10 pm, but the NEXT day, it was phenomenal, just as he thought.  All those red cherries with hints of earth on the nose, more sweet cherries and spicy notes on the palate.  Well balanced with silky smooth tannins.  Hmm….wish I coulda been there for day two.  Major bummer.  Guess I’ll need to get my own bottle now, open it and then….oh yeah, I have to WAIT for it to taste better!  Alright then…because I have no patience, I’ll buy two bottles of wine.  One that I can drink NOW, and the second one (THIS Valpolicella, which BTW is a beautiful wine and well priced at $31) I’ll open and plan to drink the following night!  Works for me!

Cheers!