Seavey Vineyard

Seavey is one of my new favorite places to visit when in the Napa area. Dorie was the most gracious and knowledgable hostess. Our visit was perfect and the wines were wonderful! We will be looking forward to our next visit.

Seavey Vineyard, which I have had the good fortune to visit twice, is as about as relaxed and unpretentious as you can find. The vineyard itself dates back to the early 1870s, when 143 acres were purchased by Charles Volper. In 1881, he built a stone dairy barn, which still exists today as the winery production area and tasting room. William and Mary Seavey purchased the property in 1979, replanted the vineyards, and produced grapes to sell to other wineries until 1990, when they produced their own Seavey Vineyard branded Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. In 1994, they released their first Merlot, and in 1999, released their second Cabernet Sauvignon called Caravina. When you arrive at Seavey, you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time, except for their state-​of-​the-​art solar energy, wine production, and wine order processing systems. William (Bill) Seavey still lives on the property and the five Seavey children have continued the family’s legacy of producing world-​class, age-​worthy Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot. When you visit, you will often be greeted by Dorie or Art Seavey, who manage sales and marketing at the winery. Tastings and tours at the winery are by appointment only Monday through Saturday. The tasting fee is $ 45 per person and one tasting fee is waived per three-​bottle purchase. The winery also has a vintage wine club (two shipments per year) as well as a library wine club (three shipments per year).

We have a Family winery tour business and SEAVEY vineyards and owner Dorie Seavey is without question, our qualified clients (and ours) favorite wineries in the region. Dorie offers gracious hospitality and her wines are exquisite. The winery is in one of the most bucolic settings in the region … far from the maddening crowds on the valley floor.
If you enjoy a private visit and are purchasing wine, this is the place for you … ENJOY!
David (
)

During my first visit to the Napa Valley, my son planned a full-​day of winery tours and tastings, with Seavey Vineyard as our last stop. I’m still a novice when it comes to the creation of fine wine and Dorie was far-​and-​away the most welcoming and engaging host. While it was late on a Sunday just prior to the beginning of the harvest, there was no feeling of rushness, nor disinterest; especially, given my inquisitive and questioning nature.
Seavey Vineyard is a jewel. My spouse and I will be remembering our visit with every glass of their wonderful 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon over the long midwest winter ahead!

Seavey is easily my favorite spot in Wine Country. Sipping their robust and complex Merlot while overlooking the peaks and valleys of St. Helena is truly an enchanting experience.
Dorie Seavey will delight you with the family history, you’ll learn about the cab’s harsh growing conditions that help make it so rich and satisfying, and you’ll try some unforgettable wine.
My boyfriend and I can barely turn the corner on our way out before starting to plan our next visit.
Thank you Dorie and Seavey Vineyards for crafting such an excellent experience and product.

First order of the day while finalizing the itinerary was to ensure an appointment with Seavey Vineyard, one of the first American Cabernet’s I fell in love with. (Primarily were a left-​bank Bordeaux drinker). I applaud Seavey and Shafer wines for opening my palate to the wondrous world of American Cabernets. I can still recall my initial sip of Seavey Cabernet– ripe, aromatic, full-​bodied, and complex wine that finished with fine tannins — sensational!
The winding road leading to the Vineyard could hardly deter me from my appointment. And I couldn’t have chosen a better day to visit Seavey — the bright sun dazzled the vineyard, the hint of crispness in the air beseeched an outdoor setting. Ms. Dorie Seavey amongst her many talents might be a clairvoyant too, as she had set the table for an outdoor wine tasting. A freshly baked loaf of Epi (french bread), bowl of EVOO, and line up of stellar Seavey wines awaited us — I was in wine nirvana!
Today at the heart of Seavey is a beautiful vineyard and winery dedicated to producing age-​worthy Bordeaux-​style wines using sustainable farming and gentle extraction methods. The Seaveys continue to handcraft their wines, sourcing their grapes from the steep hillside land which was first planted to vines by European immigrants over 130 years ago.
In 2003, the Seavey’s installed one of the first solar energy systems used by a Napa Valley winery. The project eliminates 24,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually. The Seavey’s practice old world grape growing techniques while utilizing modern technology.
Despite challenges of running a boutique family winery, the Seavey Family continues to make stunningly rich and complex cabernets year after year. Be it the warm sunny days and steep vineyards, or the herculean appetite for life and a palpable hunger for success, Seavey Vineyard continues to make distinctive wines of power and elegance.
Seavey sells most of their wines to current wine club members and almost everything by word of mouth. The good news for collectors — they typically hold back 20% of each harvest for their library. So bookmark Seavey for your next trip to Napa.

Spectacular winery! As a Napa resident, you tend to forget about all of the gorgeous little wineries nestled in the forest. I stopped by Seavey on my way to another fabulous spot, Amizetta, and was so glad I did! I tasted some truly dazzling wines, and had a tour by a stunning, statuesque blond named Tara. Tara was informative, bubbly, hilarious! I’d highly recommend Seavey Wines! Ask to be on Tara’s tour!

We were warmly greeted immediately upon our arrival — as soon as we opened our car doors! After introductions, we were taken on a private and informative tour, followed by a wonderfully relaxing wine tasting outdoors.
The wines are delicious! We went home with the 2005 Caravina and the 2010 Merlot. Great experience and lovely wines.

My girlfriend and I had an absolutely awesome experience at Seavey. I’ve been to more than 20 wineries/​vineyards in the Napa Valley over the past two years, and Seavey ranks No. 1 .
Dorie Seavey gave us the tour and poured our wine. The three of us ended up sitting on the patio (quaint, with beautiful scenery) and talking well past the slated end time for the tour/​tasting. And we would have stayed longer if we didn’t have to make it to another appointment. It felt like we were invited guests of the Seaveys vs. paying visitors.
The Vineyard’s history is great, the wine is phenomenal (best Merlot I’ve tasted to date and a fantastic Cab), their process is unique (they don’t crush their grapes), and the grounds are tucked away in one of those off-​the-​beaten-​path-​gem locations.
If you have a large group, Seavey will still be awesome, but I see it as perfectly suited for a smaller, more intimate group/​setting. We’ll definitely be back, and I give Seavey my highest recommendation.
Thanks, Dorie!

absolutely stunningly beautiful setting and the wine is amazing. I think I have found my new favorite winery

Girls trip to napa to run in ½ marathon just kept getting better with our scheduled appointment with Alex at Seavey. We had planned a wine & cheese/​chocolate pairing for a Tuesday at 9:45. Unfortunately, an accident on 29 caused us to run late. no problem… Alex & Ms Seavey were completely understanding. The tour & grapevine lesson in the vineyard was awesome but tasting thee
Wine was the highlight. Devine pairings with delicious cheese and chocolate made a perfect compliment to the lovely vineyard.
Extra credit was the adorable jack Russell, leAfy. We were tempted to take her home with us along with our wine orders.

Given the other reviews posted, I emailed the winery to schedule an appointment for a visit earlier month. Unfortunately, I never received a call back. I rated them two stars knowing the wine is great, but if they really do not want visitors, then say so. Given today’s economy, it seems quite rude not to return phone calls or emails.

***My winery/​tasting room reviews are rated based upon many factors. First is QPR or quality to price ratio of the wine. In other words, is the wine priced according to how good it is. The second factor is the tasting room experience. This involves the staff, grounds and anything unique about the winery.***
Tasting room fee: Aprx. $ 25 (Forgot specifics)
Wine price range: $ 40-​$ 95
Appointment may be required, CALL AHEAD
After tasting at some mega-​fancy wineries this day, I needed a touch of everydayness. The location of Seavey, tucked way back in Conn Valley Road, and the thumbs up from fellow Unilocaler John R. made me think that a visit here was just what I needed. There are some real gems off the beaten path and I was hoping I would find another one.
I rolled in to their vineyard and mini cattle ranch. The property still has livestock used to keep the grass in check and for eating. Looking around you get the feeling that not much has changed in a long time. I found out that some of the buildings indeed are from the 1800’s.
I walked in and was the only person there in the small but intimate tasting room. I was greeted by I think Alex, who talked about the winery history and introduced me to Mr. Seavey. He then joined me on an impromptu tour of the grounds and explained their philosophy.
They make a merlot and a chard. I did not keep notes on either. However, they poured two cabs, both of which were fantastic. It looks like I found another superstar.
I was not buying much wine on this trip, but had to make an exception here and picked up a great cabernet. It lasted until the night I got back from Napa when I opened it to enjoy with a nice filet mignon.
There are a lot of great names in Napa. Many of the more well known names are over-​visited and little more than tourist traps (yes Sterling I am talking about you). If you are visiting Napa, there are many other wineries that make top notch wine and provide a much more intimate tasting room experience. But don’t take my word for it. Robert Parker calls Seavey the «most underrated great Cabernet produced in Napa Valley.» Geeze, now I regret only buying one bottle.
**Note, though not too far off Silverado trail, the road has some major potholes. Slow down or you might be explaining to your rental car company how you popped a tire and bent the rim. Uhhh. not that it happened to me or anything.

We wound our way down Conn Valley Road– a short little departure from the valley floor that really feels far off the beaten path– finally arriving at Seavey. Seavey is essentially an old dairy farm in Conn Valley, restored into a winery and vineyards in 1981 by William Seavey. The winery is an old stone building overlooking what remains of the dairy farm. The vineyards are off in the distance on gentle low mountain slopes and across the pasture toward Lake Hennessey and Pritchard Hill. The vineyards are sustainably farmed and the winery is solar powered. All wines are 100% estate grown. The winemaking is overseen by consulting winemaking superstar Philippe Melka.
We tasted alongside another group, al fresco outside the winery. Luckily, there were some high rollers in the other group so we were drinking 97 Cab before too long. The 97 Cab was one of the best wines I’ve ever tasted… The 2005 is on its way there too. They had a killer gnarly Chardonnay with bright fruit and stinky cheese notes– awesome. The Caravina Cab was killer. Great experience– can’t wait to go back.

We had a staggeringly good tasting at Seavey a few months back. It’s a hillside location of the Silverado Trail. The historic location (beautiful old stone building from the Franco-​Swiss winery) dates to the late 1800’s. The grounds are charming.
This is one of those few big deal Napa Cabernets people tell you about. It is breathtaking. As with other posters, the other varietals were terrific as well.
The tasting was just as friendly and informative as I would have hoped — as a guy who tastes a lot of wine that is a real treat for me.
Well worth the time. Definitely call ahead to make an appointment.

Wow… as of 2÷17÷2010 there’s only two reviews on Seavey. I shouldn’t be that surprised since the winery is nestled in the winding roads in the secluded hills of Napa. Truly a hidden treasure just minutes away from hwy 29. The rustic farmhouses are used as their tasting room, office, distilling and storage. This is a true cult winery making less than 2000 cases a year. Prices range from $ 50 – 105 with a majority at $ 65/​bottle.
This winery was recommended by Alex at Darioush and we were lucky to be invited up as they are closed on weekdays. Brandon gave us a nice tour of the estate and history. We even got to shake hands with the proprietor, Bill Seavey, charming man. The estate raises their own herd of cattle. Hopefully one day they’ll host a wine pairing party and serve some delicious organic steaks! Say hi to Scooter and Leife!

2005 Seavey Merlot Napa Valley!
Ah the much malign Merlot! That Movie made it famous~~~~~~~
Yeah I saw the Movie and love it. Merlot in general has gotten such a bad rap the last 5 years but Seavey Vineyards Merlot was one well structured wine. Merlot does sometimes come off tasting to much like Cabernet and to tell you the truth if I tasted those 2 grapes side by side. I would probably not be as accurate as I wanted to be.
Seavey Vineyards Merlot has a beautiful nose of blackberries with lots of cedar, clove and dark chocolate. It has a long finish. The Merlot has 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot added to it. The price is on the higher side at $ 50.00 per. You should be able to find it at Local So. Cal wine shops. Enjoy the wine if you dare drink a Merlot.
Cheers!

Date: January 18, 2005
Winery: Seavey Vineyard
Winemaker: Philippe Melka
Tasting: Appointments only
Contact: 707.963.8339
Tucked away deep inside Conn Valley up Howell Mountain Road. If you want to plan a trip to visit this quaint winery, should also book a few other appointments in the area, such as Buehler Vineyards.
2001 Chardonnay
A Meursault clone Chardonnay if I recall correctly. Fig and floral perfume on the nose. Flavor of Chinese preserved sour plum with mineral and stone. Don’t the the word sour scare you off, just a very distinct flavor profile I picked up. A very well made Chardonnay that can age for a few years.
2001 Merlot
Cherry and orange peel essence. Touch of dried strawberries. Pine, red fruits, mint and Italian herbs. Approachable tannin.
2001 Caravina
Red/​black plum nose. On palate, it’s like biting into a ripe red plum with sweet tannin, bay leaf, eucalyptus and a touch of anise and coriander.
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
Ripe Bing Cherry rises from the glass. Firm tannin hits you on the palate immediately, followed by deep sweet black fruits hiding in the background. An elegant wine that’s got great structure, complexity and a strong mid-​palate. Long finish. Reminds me a bit of ’99 when it’s first released, need to crack one of those to see how it’s progressing.