Time and Timing
Like everything else in life time and timing are two key factors to succeed in every field, meaning that all the qualities and skills in the world might be not enough to reach a goal if the timing is off. With the nectar of the gods time and timing is even more critical factor. Let's start with time; slow pace is what vines requires, from the moment you plant a vine it will take at least 4 years for the plant to be able to produce enough complex grapes to have a good wine, but it will take several decades in order to have grapes complex enough to produce a great wine, with time in fact the vine's roots will crawl down in to the earth and as exponentially the deeper they go the more complex the grape will get. Making a wine takes time, from the fermentation to being release to the market, some wineries will age their wines in their cellars for a decade, like Kalin cellars or Giuseppe Quintarelli (his Amarone Riserva is aged for 13 years). After being release to the market some wines are still not ready and will need several more decades of aging in the consumer hands (a clear example are the 2005 Burgundy). Timing is also essential in life as well as for wine, like in life there is not a magical formula that will teach you about timing and like in life good timing comes with intuition supported by experience. Famous is the "dumb" period in Burgundies a window where the wine will close without any apparent reason and can last for few years, also Chateaunef du Pape has timing issues, either you drink it young or you'll have to wait for a decade. Wrong timing is also when you'll open a bottle in the wrong conditions; an Amarone is best enjoyed when outside temperature is low, opening a 16% plus wine in the middle of August it might not be a good idea. Probably the only wines that are timing free are the sparklers, good with virtually any food, any weather, any occasions and reasons or any celebration!!!
Talking about that I guess this is going to be the right time to wish you a great 2009...
Buona Bevuta a Tutti!!!
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