Emerald Hare Red Blend 2016
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Blend: 47.5% Zinfandel, 47.5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
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Wine Enthusiast
This is an elegant, dry wine with great balance, a sleek texture and plenty of black-cherry and dark plum flavors. Equal parts Zinfandel and Merlot plus a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon form the blend. Good acidity and moderate tannins give it some nice heft on the palate and there is little oak influence to take away from its fruit focus.
Editors' Choice
Emerald Hare is a Calistoga, Napa Valley based winery founded by husband and wife, Scott and Essie “Michelle” Carey. Scott is a certified sommelier and Michelle is a professionally-trained chef in farm-to-table French culinary arts.
The name, Emerald Hare, was inspired at cocktail hour in Calistoga when Scott and Michelle observed hares roaming and snacking in their neighbor’s organic vegetable garden - the Forni Brown Welsh Gardens. These historic gardens have supplied produce to some of the finest chefs and restaurants in the Napa Valley. Emerald represents the color of life and growth that exists in the vineyards displayed by the vines, mountains and trees – particularly vibrant each Spring after the valley’s rainy season.
Emerald Hare winemaker, Sandy Robertson, was winemaker at the prestigious Sonoma winery, Merry Edwards, from 2007-2014. Sandy also collaborated with Dan Goldfield to produce premium award-winning wines for The Calling brand. The trio: Sandy, Scott and Michelle strive to produce exceptional quality, lively, focused and delicious wines.
Famous American artist, Steve Penley, painted the label for the winery.
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.
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.