Atlas Peak Consenso Vineyard Red 2000
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Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is one of life’s great pleasures. Luscious berry fruit, multi-layered tannins, refined herbal notes and silky texture all combine to transport the wine lover to this incomparable California region, an area famous for long-lived red wines that offer wave after wave of drinking pleasure.
Some of the world’s best vineyards dot the mountain tops, hillsides, and lowlands of the Napa Valley. Framing the valley are the cornerstone mountain appellations of Atlas Peak, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain District, and Mount Veeder. These areas provide ideal growing conditions for crafting bold, well-structured, ruggedly elegant wines—wines that can only come from great fruit and hard work in hard-to-reach places.
To craft the Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon, the winemakers work closely with vineyard partners to source the finest grapes from mountaintop and lower-elevation vineyards. They weave the fruit into a richly textured tapestry supported by a firm structure—a true “taste of Napa.” This wine, with its substantial length and enduring finish, bears testament to the elegance and refinement of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Just northeast of Napa city, Atlas Peak boasts some of Napa Valley’s highest elevation vineyards. Here the intense sunlight coupled with cool, nighttime temperatures produce grapes that are perfectly ripe, balanced and concentrated. The appellation is rich in volcanic soils and excels in the production of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.