My Favorite Neighbor Harvey and Harriet Red Blend 2019
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
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At first blush, an exuberant bouquet of candied blueberries, blackberries, jasmine, and orange blossoms jumps out of the glass and demands full attention. Underneath the fruits and flowers lie warm scents of brioche, cocoa, and baking spices. The taster is then rewarded with intense cherry, mixed berry and pluot followed by caramel and espresso. The overall sensation is sublime bliss on the palate as the elegant finish slowly fades away.
Blend: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
As to the reds, the 2019 Harvey and Harriet can be thought of as the more approachable, lush red in the lineup, and it always seems more black fruit-driven than the straight Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberries, sweet tobacco, cedar, and some floral violet nuances define the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a beautiful texture and silky tannins. It’s a smoking value, and while it has plenty of up-front charm, it certainly has a decade or more of overall longevity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep ruby-purple, the 2019 Harvey & Harriet has beguiling crushed red and black cherries, tar, coffee beans and dark spicy and savory accents on the nose. Full-bodied but light on its feet and easy to drink, it offers a fine balance of powerful fruit intensity and seamless freshness, a style that will appeal to a wide range of red-wine drinkers, from lovers of Zinfandel to fans of Cabernet.
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
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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.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.