Cheryl Bar

9.0

Wine advent….ure #22 — 2 years ago

Jose Santiago

8.9

Not bad for a red blend. Stews wines has it for ~$10 — 3 years ago

Priya Gopal

9.1

Light summery white that’s perfectly balanced with notes of pears, green apples and citrus. — 5 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

The nose reveals; dark currants, blackberries, heavy black plum, black raspberries, dark cherries and some blueberries. Black tea, expresso roast, anise, crushed dry rocks, big vanilla, clove, a little nutmeg, dry underbrush, sweet tarry notes, leather, woody notes with dark fresh & withering flower bouquet.

The body is big and lush. The tannins are big, meaty and tarry. Very dark currants. Blackberries, heavy black plum, black raspberries, dark cherries and some blueberries & strawberries as they open up. Black tea, expresso roast, steeped fruit tea, anise, crushed dry rocks, dry clay, big graphite, big vanilla, dark spice, clove, light dry herbs, a little nutmeg, dry underbrush, sweet tarry notes, leather, cedar with violets dark fresh & withering flower bouquet. The acidity is round, fresh and beautiful. The big, long, well balanced finish is excellent and look forward to having this in 15-20 years. This one will be a stunner!

Photos of, the barn where they make wine and hosts tastings, our private tasting area inside William’s old office. William desk and their outside terrace area.

Producer history & notes...Seavey Vineyard is located along Conn Valley Road in the eastern hills of Napa Valley, about 15 minutes from the valley floor.

This historical property was originally a cattle ranch. However, records indicate grapes were planted on some of the hillsides as early as the 1870’s. The stone dairy barn, still in existence, was built in 1881.

William & Mary Seavey purchased this property in 1979. The estate was originally founded by the Franco-Swiss Farming Company in 1881 which, closed down when Phylloxera destroyed their grape vines and the Volstead Act (Prohibition) went into effect. At the time of their purchase, they were a horse and cattle ranch. They quickly planted the slopes with grapes and initially sold their fruit to Raymond Vineyards. They have never purchased grapes, all their wine is made from estate grapes. Their vineyards are separated into 20 plus individual blocks.

Today, the property is about 200 total acres of which, 40 acres are planted to vine. Their hillside vineyards produce low yields of rich concentrated fruit. A small block of Chardonnay grows in a cooler lower part of their property. Besides grapes, they also raise cattle which are used to graze the hillsides. They feed the vineyard with the cattle cuttings. In 2003, they were one of the first Napa wineries to install solar.

Mary passed away in 2008 and William died in 2016. There daughter Dorie returned to the family business and now oversees the winery operations. Her brother Arthur also handles national and some small international sales, primarily to restaurants. However, most of their wine is sold direct to consumers.

Seavey’s first commercial vintage was released in 1990 a year after they renovated the stone dairy barn into a working winery. Today this stone building is the centerpiece of the property and is where tastings are hosted.

Since 2011, Jim Duane has been their day to day Winemaker. He’s worked at Robert Mondavi and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. It should also be noted that Philippe Melka Winemaker/Consultant has been with Seavey since 1995...one of Philippe’s two initial wine making jobs in the Napa Valley were with Seavey and Lail Vineyards.

Seavy makes about 3,200 cases annually depending on what mother nature brings. They make around two hundred cases of Chardonnay, slightly more Merlot and the rest is of the production is comprised of their Caravina and Estate Cabernets.
— 6 years ago

Diana Eng

8.9

1997 vintage. Good acidity, more secondary notes. Earthy, still dark cherries. — 8 years ago

with EatSommThings

Aitor Egaña

8.9

Mainly black fruits and cassis with pepper and a hint of menthol or herbs on the nose, fruiry with an earthy nice nice long finish. — 2 years ago

MaJ CappS

9.0

Cab franc dominant with petit Verdot.

Love me some vino de Mexico!
Funky barnyard Cab franc nose,
Heavier side of of body, with black fruits, touches of tarragon and hints of chrysanthemum. A unique wine from unique terroir. — 4 years ago

Andrew Townley

9.1

Nice Rioja...especially for the price. One of two recent experiments from Palato Maceió. — 5 years ago

Maiki Machiela

9.2

One of the best Riojas I’ve had...at 29 Euros a bottle. I’ll now have to visit Sajazarra. — 6 years ago

with Kim

Breck Warner

9.4

Very smooth full body red — 6 years ago

Peter Martin

9.4

Licorice, prune, balanced and smooth finish. — 7 years ago

DAL 9000

9.4

A special solar eclipse wine. Buttery burst with lemons and green apples. Creamy smooth. Another hit from Arnie. — 7 years ago

Arishima Kohichi

9.0

I like it! — 8 years ago

Evelyn Fleisher

9.0

Very good, had down the shore — 3 years ago

Daf Montoya

9.0

Rioja Crianza 2015, fuerte, notas de roble — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Champagne is for celebrating, not that I need a celebratory reason to open a bottle as I am hooked on champagne. 💉

However, after installing 27 solar panels and waiting an additional seven weeks for my Tesla, I/we have almost erased our carbon footprint. Finally picked it up today. I believe we all need to do our part to save the glorious vines that bring so much happiness to our lives. 🍷🥂👍

As for the Baron Fuentes, the is a very good Champange and is perhaps the best QPR out of Champagne at $24.99.

Bright lemon, lime, grapefruit w/ sugar, bruised red apple & pear, touch of ginger & cider, bread dough, baguette crust, sea spray, white spice with some palate heat, sea fossils, grey volcanic minerals, spring flowers, lilacs and yellow lilies. The acidity is bright, crisp and lively. The finish is smartly polished, well balanced and persistent for minutes.

Whoo hoo! So close to carbon free! 🍾🥂 — 4 years ago

Noelle

9.0

Lovely, smooth, flavor — 6 years ago

Nancy Pratt

8.9

Picked this up on my Solar Eclipse trip and really liked it - 2011 vintage — 7 years ago

Rainer Kölln

8.9

Ein herrlicher Begleiter für einen schönen Abend. — 7 years ago

Mike R

9.3

The election is almost over - thank you very much - too much stress - but this wine is helping so much - dark gorgeous fruit with a taste to the tongue that makes feel so much better - then the finish comes in all seems tranquil and the solar system seems aligned again - see what wine can do - decanted 1 hour - smiling again — 8 years ago