2015 Merlot (Sold Out)

Tasting Notes

Seavey’s 22nd vintage of Merlot—the 2015—offers seductive aromas of blueberry, butterscotch and black tea. On the palate, the wine is vibrant, bright and open with intriguing flavors of cranberry, pomegranate, and baking spices. Notes of bay leaves, dried violets, rose petals and lavender are also present. This medium-bodied wine has significant texture and smooth tannins, making for a long and mellow finish.

Ratings

Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Mar. 2018) 91 points
“Seavey’s 2015 Merlot Estate is plush, sensual and inviting. Readers should expect a distinctly savory Merlot that puts an emphasis on freshness and aromatic nuance. Even so, there is no shortage of depth or power. Seavey’s Merlot is one of the most distinctive wines in Napa Valley. I loved it.”

Jeb Dunnuck (Dec. 2017) 95 points
“There’s just 213 cases of the 2015 Merlot and it’s up with the top expressions of this variety coming from Napa today. Just packed with black cherries, plums, chocolate, damp earth and lead pencil aromas and flavors (it reminded me of a young La Mondotte), this beauty is full-bodied, ripe, concentrated, and downright sexy on the palate. Don’t miss it.”

Vineyard Notes

The 2015 growing season was marked by generally warm weather, limited rainfall, and an early harvest. The resulting yields were lower than average but this translated into very concentrated wines with lots of personality. In the cool of the early morning, we harvested our grapes each day as they matured, proceeding to separately vinify and age the grapes from each vineyard block.

Production Notes

Following classic Bordeaux methods, we promptly destemmed the berries and then gently transferred the whole berries into fermentation tanks. In order to carefully manage the tannins and resulting wine texture, the grapes were neither crushed nor run through a pump. Following fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 20 months before bottling in June 2017.

100% ESTATE GROWN, PRODUCED & BOTTLED, NAPA VALLEY AVA