Imagine yourself in a box, the walls are tight against your skin as you curl up in the tightest of fetal positions. Imagine that you have no oxygen, very little light and the last thing you remember is someone telling you to put a cork in it. No this isn't the latest installation of the "Grudge" this is a day in the life of bottled wine, yearning to be free!
A friend told me a story today about a special wine that he opened for a very special occasion a few days ago. The much anticipated wine on first taste was harsh, acidic, and what he called awful. We've all been there, as we uncork a random bottle from the local store, but was it really all that bad? He proceeded to tell me that hours later when they tried the wine again it had "opened" up and was quite drinkable.
Imagine yourself again, stuck in the bottle (never mind how you were able to survive this long), and a nice gentleman decides to let you out. At first you can't really move, your muscles so affixed in the fetal position all you can do is roll from side to side. But as time passes you're able to move an arm, stretch a leg, bend your neck, until eventually you can walk upright again. This analogy in not unlike the process of letting a wine breath.
Don't believe me? Open a bottle of wine, any wine. Take a sip then let it sit open for a few hours, or for maximum effect pour the wine into a decanter. Take another taste later, in some situations it's like trying a completely different wine, you will be blown away.
This post is not to say wines are tasty right after corking, they can be, but good things come to those who wait...
2 comments:
Does this same theory apply to the girl who pops out of the birthday cake?
They have special airtanks for such an occasion.
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