Style

Round and plump with a sweet entry and lingering, briny finish. Very quaffable.

Food Pairings

Swordfish, mushroom omelets, grain-based salads.

Vineyard

Boisseau Vineyard is owned and operated by Richard Boisseau. It is located in Front Royal, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley, about 5 miles west of Linden. The vineyard was planted in 2000. It is vertically shoot-positioned. Dijon clones 96 and 76 are planted on a high bluff above the valley floor. Exposure is west. Soils are a deep clay/silt loam.

Vintage

2019 was a very strong 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).

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 with Chardonnay. 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. Chardonnay was picked on the early side to retain freshness.

Winemaking

Chilled grapes were sorted, pressed, juice settled, and then barrel fermented in old French oak. No malolactic fermentation. Aged sur lie in barrel for 10 months, then in tank for 5 months. Bottled February 2021. 650 bottles produced. This wine will improve in the bottle for 2 to 4 years post bottling. 13.1% alcohol.

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