2007 Hardscrabble Chardonnay
Palate
Yellow raspberries, crème fraîche, a mouth-filling texture with persimmons in the finish.
Aromas
Honeydew melon, fresh peach, hazelnut, vanilla & toasted sesame seeds.
Food Pairings
Roasted chicken, mushrooms sautéed in butter.
Vineyard
Hardscrabble Vineyard (100%), Fauquier Co. on top of the Blue Ridge at 1,300 to 1,400 feet with an eastern to southern slope. Deep, well drained rocky, mineral soils give depth, structure and length. Chardonnay vines age from 14 to 24 years. Yields average 3 tons per acre (45 hl/H).
Vintage
The entire growing season, was very dry, with slightly above average temperatures. A two inch rain on the third week of August was beneficially refreshing. Harvest began about 10 days earlier than normal. Fruit maturity was very good, except for concerns about lower than normal acids. The resulting wines have good concentration and are more fruit driven than the mineral based 2004 and 2006 vintage. Harvest was September 10, 2007.
Winemaking
Grapes were sorted and lightly crushed into the press. Only free run juice from two distinct vineyard blocks were used. Both cultured and native yeast. Some barrels were allowed to go through spontaneous malolactic fermentation. Barrel fermented in one to four year old French oak barrels. Aged on lees for 10 months with minimal stirring. Bottled in August 2008. 309 cases produced. This vintage will improve over several years and plateau around 2011 to 2014.
Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2007 Vintage | 2007 Hardscrabble Chardonnay