2008 Seyval

Palate

Medium bodied and very dry with lots of verve and a bright citrus finish.

Aromas

Grapefruit zest, kiwi, white flowers, and lemon thyme.

Food Pairings

Oysters and any very fresh and delicate seafood.

Vineyard

Hardscrabble Vineyard (2.0 acres of Seyval) on the Blue Ridge at an elevation of 1200 feet keeps temperatures cool and preserves crisp, clean fruit aromas. Well drained shale and silt clay loam. Vineyard trained to both Lyre and VSP. Yields were 5 tons per acre. Vine ages 19 and 24 years.

Vintage

Summer was wetter than normal, but each month progressively became hotter and drier. Most of August was a drought, putting a much needed halt to vine vegetative growth. Very late August through most of September alternated between 2 or 3 days of rain and 4 or 5 days of sunny, warm conditions. In the vineyard, because of the wetter than normal conditions, canopy and cover crop management required much precision and labor. Leaf pulling severity was much more extreme than 2007. Harvest was August 26 and September 5, 2008.

Winemaking

Grapes are hand sorted before crushing and pressing. Cold fermentation preserves the freshness of the grape. No oak is used. Seyval is bottled in the winter and is ready to drink by summer. It is best when consumed within two to three years of bottling when it is fresh and lively. 584 cases produced.

2008 Vintage, White WinesJim Law