Last night I opened a bottle of Duchman Winery 2008 Dolcetto. It’s a known commodity here, so much that I bought a couple of cases of it last December, and I was ready for a good end-of-day glass. Something to help me slow down and unwind.

You can’t drink a decent wine “on the go” unless you’re just imbibing it for the alcohol content. For mme, a glass of wine is a way that I force myself to slow down and enjoy a moment or two.

So back to the Dolcetto. Even though I was getting a glass to relax, I was in a hurry. I uncorked the bottle and immediately poured it through my aereator to shortcut the whole process, and you know what? It was terrible. OK, not terrible, but it just wasn’t what I expected. It wasn’t the Dolcetto that I love and rave about. Why?

Again, I’m no sommelier, but I do know that a full-bodied red often needs to breathe. Not all reds and not always, but you generally are wise to let a dry red spend some time exposed to air so it can reach its peak flavor. This particular bottle needed exactly that, and I deprived it and myself of the luxury. So last night I put my vacuum “cork” on the Duchman, pumped out as much air as I could – of course you can’t pull all the air out, and set it on the counter while I hurriedly sipped the poured wine.

Tonight I popped the vacuum cork off the ’08 Dolcetto, poured me another glass after a very long day working on my app and various websites / blogs. I’m in no hurry now, and the wine has rested a full day with a minute amount of air in the bottle to let it “cure”.

Oh. My. God.

This is the best glass of Dolcetto that I have ever tasted. Folks, I’m drinking a glass of nectar that cost me, what, $14.95? If I had paid $60 in a restaurant for this, I would think they had mis-priced the bottle. Of course you’re thinking, “He’s already admitted to being a Duchman fanboy, so whatever.” Yeah. This is exactly why I’m a fanboy.

Here I am sipping a dry wine that leaves my palate completely satisfied.

I take that back. I need some xocolatl to go with the Dolcetto. Very interesting pairing, the dark chili-infused chocolate with the cherry / spice / oak of the wine.

A marvelous end to a hectic day.