Style

2019 gives us a very different Hardscrabble Chardonnay. The warm vintage produced a round, mouth-filling texture. Ripe fruit notes, caramelized apple, vanilla, and butterscotch are apparent in the wine’s youth.

Food Pairings

Squash or mushroom risotto, boudin blanc, polenta, roasted potatoes.

Vineyard

Hardscrabble Vineyard is on top of the Blue Ridge at 1,300 to 1,400 feet with an eastern to southern slope. Deep, well-drained mineral soils give acidity and good structure. Primarily from old vines planted in the 1980s.

Vintage

2019 was a very strong, ripe vintage, though yields were down as some varieties recovered from rainy 2018.

Bud break in late April was normal and consistent. A warm, wet May stimulated rapid shoot growth. Some vineyard blocks exhibited very uneven shoot development. An early bloom (late May through early June) was successful under ideal conditions (warm and sunny).

Late June was marked by a moderate hailstorm that bruised and damaged berries on the top/west side of the canopy. Most, but not all of these berries shriveled and fell off. However there were still a significant number of compromised berries that would have the potential to present rot and uneven ripening issues later in the season.

July started a long hot dry period, which would last until harvest was over. There remained ample moisture in the ground, so vines did not slow their vegetative cycle until early August (right on time for véraison). A hot, dry August accelerated ripening.

An early harvest began on August 26 at our warmer Boisseau Vineyard. The crop was in excellent shape with good flavors. The only concern was with low acids caused by hot days and warm nights. This concern persisted throughout all of the white grape harvest. In some cases Chardonnay was picked on the early side to retain freshness. Hardscrabble Chardonnay harvest was September 8 and 11, 2019.

Winemaking

Chilled grapes were sorted, pressed, juice settled, and then barrel fermented warm (70˚ F) in new French (20%) 350-liter barrels and slightly used (80%) 228-liter French oak. No malolactic fermentation. Aged sur lie in barrel for 11months, and then in tank (sur lie) for an additional 5 months. Bottled February 2021. 3,530 bottles produced. This wine will improve in the bottle for many years past vintage. Alcohol 12.6%.

Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2019 Vintage | 2019 Hardscrabble Chardonnay