Seabold Cellars Rodnick Farm Vineyard Mourvèdre Chalone 2019

Proprietor and Winemaker Chris Miller is the kind of guy who excels at anything he puts his mind to. He learned the value of hard work at an early age under the watchful eye of his mother who owned a bustling restaurant in New Orleans. Young Chris spent his childhood bussing tables and polishing glassware, and the pulsing energy of restaurant life certainly set the tone for Chris' future. Restaurant work came to mean more than just a paycheck after a revelatory wine tasting during a trip to Washington. Shortly after, Chris moved to Seattle to completely immerse himself in the world of wine. He worked as a Sommelier at Canlis Restaurant and spent harvests hopping cellars through the Walla Walla Valley. His ability to learn and his drive to excel were quickly recognized, earning Chris the title of ‘Best Young Sommelier in the World’ and Wine & Spirits Magazine’s ‘Best New Sommelier in America’. Only a guy like Chris would consider these accomplishments to be just the beginning. Shortly thereafter, he was handpicked by Wolfgang Puck to realize a new vision for the wine program at Spago Beverly Hills. Chris’ Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning work has been featured in Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Forbes, Robb Report, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Eater National. His name was known world-wide and still, he craved more! After 25 years in restaurants, Chris felt compelled to trade in his suits for boots and launch his own wine brand.

Seabold Cellars was established in 2014. Chris opted to make Monterey Seabold's home because he is a firm believer that cool-climate vineyards produce the most balanced, site-specific wines. His 2019 Mourvèdre is sourced from the Rodnick Farm vineyard which boasts 30-year-old vines and is meticulously farmed using strict organic practices. It sits on the western slopes of the Gabilan Mountains, and the combination of its elevation (1,900 feet) and the rugged hillsides of the mountain make for a complex vineyard site that has a myriad of topography and experiences extreme diurnal shifts. Chris hand-harvested the Mourvèdre and allowed the fruit to remain on their stems as they were moved into bins for fermentation. The fruit was foot-treaded and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts found on the skins of the grapes. Once fermentation was complete, the wine was moved to neutral puncheons for 18 months of aging. During this time, Chris did absolutely nothing to the wine, allowing it to show its qualities without the aid or mask of any winemaking techniques or additives. What results is a wine that carries some of the hallmark characteristics of our favorite Bandols – smoky and gamey with thick tannins and tough structure that takes some coaxing to ease, but stands up so well to a rich cut of meat. A good decant is recommended for this one; enjoy it with anything that comes straight off of your BBQ and enjoy the talents of the unstoppable Chris Miller!