Veni, Vedi, Vino, Part I - Solane Santi Valpolicella

On the way home from a hard day of thrifting, I stopped at the "package" store in Arlington (Tennessee, that is) and picked up a few bottles of under-$20 wines. I was amazed by the selection of wines they offered--better than what I would have expected from a store that also offers check-cashing from behind a barred window.

I bought four bottles: three California pinot noir and this 2007 Valpolicella, which was the first one I chose to open. Not only was it Valentine's Day, but even better, H was cooking melanzana.

The real cork was so tight in the bottle it came out with a loud *pop* and refused to go back in. You can see in the pic that it was only purple on the very bottom. I love the complexity of a good Valpolicella, and at first pour this one was bitter with a finish of alcohol and tannins. Not really the layers I was looking for. Maybe part of the problem was that I had just brushed my teeth.

I am diligent about wine. I am not an overly-optimistic person (I consider myself a realist) but I will give wine second, third or more chances to get better. I will swirl, examine, sniff, and taste my way through a glass or two of a less-than-good wine, ever hopeful that it will open up and realize its potential. I am happy to say that this wine did just that. I drowned out my minty-fresh breath with crumbly, earthy Parmigiano Reggiano. I swirled and examined the color and the legs (they were long and thin, and I know that they have somethingorother to do with the alcohol, but other than entertainment value I don't really know what I'm looking at) and managed to be patient enough to let the wine breathe. The fruits began to bloom out, earthiness replaced bitterness, and the tannins held out for a nice finish.