2005 Avenius Red
Palate
Sour cherries, bramble fruits and currants; graphite, hung ham; mouth coating texture with assertive tannins and bright acidity.
Aromas
Ripe red raspberries, forest floor, saddle, plum sauce, cedar.
Food Pairings
Lamb, game, and stews with lots of rosemary.
Vineyard
Avenius Vineyard is owned and operated by Shari Avenius, who is also Linden Vineyard’s director. It is located on the Blue Ridge one-half mile north of Linden Vineyards at an elevation of 1,300 feet on a steep east facing slope. Soils are well drained, rocky, greenstone and granite. These 9 year old vines are trained on the French lyre and Geneva double curtain trellising system.
Vintage
Much of the growing season was cool, but a welcome hot August helped accelerate veraison and ripening, although we were still a few days behind normal as September approached. There was essentially no rain in September, but we were worried about drought stress in the later ripening reds. We were in that unusual situation where we were hoping for some rain during harvest to refresh the vines. We got more than we bargained for. Tammy dropped 4.5 inches of rain in a 24 hour period in early October. Picking stopped for 2 weeks as we waited for the soil, canopies and most importantly berries to dry out. The rest of October was mild and dry. Harvest was from October 20 to 28, 2005.
Winemaking
83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot. Petit Verdot was destemmed and very lightly crushed. Cabernet was also destemmed and crushed to a greater degree in order to extract more tannins. Both cold soaked for several days before fermenting in one ton open top containers. The cap was punched down two times per day. Fermentation temperatures peaked at 90°F. The wines are pressed off of their skins just prior to dryness. Petit Verdot aged in Virginia oak for 14 months, Cabernet in French oak. Unfined and unfiltered. 47 cases bottled. Anticipated maturity 2009 to 2015.
Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2005 Vintage | 2005 Avenius Red