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Seavey Vineyard



 

  1998 Seavey Merlot
 
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750ml Price:

Composite: 100%ME
Produced: 230 Cases
Alcohol: 14.1%
Oak: 30% New French
Cellaring: 10-15 Years
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Wine Details:
 
100% ESTATE GROWN, PRODUCED AND BOTTLED - NAPA VALLEY AVA

"After a year in bottle, the 1998 Merlot is even better than it was last year. Seavey has turned out something special in a vintage that was not easy for Cabernet/Merlot producers. Their dense garnet/plum/purple-colored 1998 Merlot offers expressive, fragrant aromatics consisting of chocolate souffle, smoke, coffee, mocha, and berry fruit. Full-bodied, lush, silky-textured, and made in a Pomerol-like, ripe style, it is on a fast evolutionary track. Rating: 90." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Seavey Vineyard’s fifth estate-produced Merlot, the 1998, was made from 100% Merlot grapes grown primarily on a gradually sloping East-facing block near the top of the vineyard.  The grapes were harvested in October at optimal ripeness of sugar and tannins and with concentrated fruit flavors.

Winemaking style followed classic Bordeaux methods.  Following fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels (30% new oak) for 17 months before bottling on April 27, 2000.

The 1998 growing season was a challenge because of a cooler and wetter than normal spring and summer, followed by rain in late September.  We waited to pick until middle and late October when the grapes were fully mature.  The resulting Merlot has a dense plum-purple color, is full bodied and rich with a lush, silky texture.  Expressive aromas of berry fruit, chocolate and mocha make it a gorgeous Merlot to drink now.
 
Production Team:
  • Consultant Winemaker: Philippe Melka
  • Vineyard Foreman: Mario Gutierrez