2012 Seyval

Palate

Fresh, fruity entry, then dry and saline with a lemon zest finish.

Aromas

Crushed oyster shell and lemon zest.

Food Pairing

Savor with steamed mussels in white wine, fresh water fish with lemon and dill or a shrimp cocktail a la 1960’s style.

Vineyard

Hardscrabble Vineyard (1.0 acre of Seyval) on the Blue Ridge at an elevation of 1200 feet keeps temperatures as cool as possible and preserves crisp, clean fruit aromas. Well drained shale and silt clay loam. Vineyard trained to both Lyre and VSP. Yields were 3 tons per acre. Vine age 23 years.

Vintage

An extremely mild and dry winter gave us bud break a record 3 to 4 weeks earlier than average. Frost our biggest concern, but the mild winter continued into spring resulting in a frost-free season. A dry, warm April and May was welcomed. Flowering was 2 to 3 weeks early, but occurred under generally favorable conditions and we were looking at a generous crop.

Mid summer was hot and precipitation was variable. The vines were never water stressed during the summer. Blocks on clay soils experienced luxuriant and to some degree, unwanted rampant growth. August is usually the time we have finished our work in the vineyard and head back to the cellar. In 2012 tropical conditions in August, beckoned us back to the vineyard to pull more leaves around bunches, aerating the cluster zones as a precaution against rot. Ultimately, clusters were healthy, but berry size was large.

Harvest began about 10 days early under typical September conditions. One day of rain was followed by a week of sun. Seyval was harvested with refreshingly low sugars (potential alcohols in the 12% range), moderate acidity, and good aromatics.Drink now through 2014.

Winemaking

This is the last vintage of Linden’s Seyval. Grapes were 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. Residual CO2 from fermentation gives the wine a bit of spritz. It is best when consumed within two to three years of bottling when it is fresh and lively. 202 cases produced.

White WinesJim Law