2007 Rosé

Palate

Savory, dry, full bodied, juicy cherry fruit and cranberries, surprising concentration, ending with lingering tannins and bright acidity.

Aromas

Pomegranate seeds, wild strawberry, white pepper, mint, and rhubarb.

Food Pairings

Barbecue, grilled vegetables, cold meats, and mild cheeses.

Vineyard

Hardscrabble (80%), the estate vineyard, on the Blue Ridge at 1,300 to 1,400 feet with an eastern to southern slope. Deep, well drained granite soils give cherry character and good structure. Vine ages from 3 to 23 years.

Avenius Vineyard (10%) 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.

Boisseau (10%): Western facing with loamy soils, it is in the Shenandoah Valley in the town of Front Royal, about 6 miles from Linden.

Vintage

The entire growing season was very dry, with slightly above average temperatures. September and October were uncharacteristically warm and dry. Harvest for Rosé was from September 25 to October 18, 2007.

Winemaking

The blend is 75% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. The majority of this vintage’s Rosé came from Cabernet Franc grapes that were fermented on the skins for 3 days and then pressed while still fermenting. The saignée (bleeding) method was also used sparingly on other red grapes. In 2007 we only did saignée to less than 5% of the total volume given the intensity of the vintage. Only 95 cases were bottled on January 15, 2008.

2007 Vintage, Red WinesJim Law