There's nothing we love more than finding hidden gem bottles in off-the-beaten-path areas ~ after all, the discovery of great wine is half the fun. This week, we're honing in on the rugged, yet wildly romantic Monterey region where delicious juice is being made and promises to keep your palate salivating!
With only 300 cases produced, and a focus on cool-climate vineyard sites along the coastline in Monterey County, this value-loaded Pinot Noir has become an ACME favorite for its impeccable balance and restrained profile! This 2015 Seabold Pinot Noir that we are so excited to share with you today was hand-harvested at night, then carefully hand-sorted and fully destemmed to preserve its fruit purity and capture its concentrated flavors. A natural cold soak period ensues in small bins before manual punch-downs begin to encourage a native yeast fermentation. After fermentation is complete, the wine is then aged for 12 months in neutral oak. Finally, the wine is racked, then bottled unfined and unfiltered. The resulting palate is full of dried blackberries, blueberries, bergamot, raspberry and black tea. There is a notable hint of sea spray followed by a jolt of acidity that gives the wine a sense of liveliness. Pair with a warm bowl of butternut squash soup, cioppino, honey roasted duck, Brussels sprouts, or roasted acorn squash to ring in the fall season!
Seabold Cellars began in 2014 with an exciting collaboration between Chris Miller, an innovative Winemaker, and Peter Figge, whose background is rooted in vineyard management. Since its inception, Seabold has stood out as a label that makes wine for the joy of it. The duo has taken chances on new varietals and lesser-known vineyard sites purely because they love exposing what once was not. They allow the grapes to choose their own path, not intervening in their journey into wine. Chris and Peter decided to establish Seabold in the Monterey Bay region because they both believed that cool-climate vineyards produce balanced wines that showcase the origin and terroir more than the winemaking itself. During the year, more time is spent in vineyards than the winery and their winemaking is as hands-off as possible, respecting traditional techniques and practices without being beholden to them.
Surprisingly, one of the features of Monterey that has a huge impact on the wines from the region is not on land but out at sea! Less than 100 yards off the Monterey Bay shoreline is the Blue Grand Canyon which, at 60 miles long and 2 miles deep, is one of the world's largest and deepest marine trenches. Its 300 cubic miles of frigid waters fuel the cold Salinas wind that funnels through the Gabilan and Santa Lucia Mountain Ranges, creating bone-chilling winds that are drawn through the length of the Salinas Valley. The diurnal shift, or temperature swing from day to night, can be as great as 40 degrees, and temperatures in this area rarely reach over 70 degrees. Such consistently chilly weather and harsh winds make growing Pinot Noir, an already finicky grape, even more challenging to farm. While the cool temperatures help to preserve the acidity in the grapes which is certainly a plus, average low temperatures can threaten the overall ripeness of the crop. Not to mention that the winds are a serious threat to the thin and delicate skins of Pinot Noir. And yet all these challenging characteristics are what drew Chris and Peter to Monterey to begin with. Why make wine at all if it's going to be easy?
GIFT it! DRINK it! ENJOY it! Seabold is an impactful California brand offering elegant, affordable, Burgundian-style wines! Juicy, easy-drinking, and responsibly-made…..what's not to love?
