2019 Linden Petit Manseng demi sec
Style
Demi sec translates as half dry which means that there is just a touch of sweetness in the wine. This is to balance out the natural piercing acidity that the grape variety Petit Manseng is known for. The 2019 is classically generous and aromatically expressive. This wine will benefit from aging.
Food Pairings
Spice is the keyword here. Middle Eastern or South Asian cuisine works well. Prosciutto with fruit or salty starters are also possibilities.
Vineyards
Hardscrabble is Linden’s estate vineyard where there are three small plantings of Petit Manseng. The vines are at an elevation of 1,300 feet on a northeast slope Vines were planted in 2002, 2006 and 2015.
Vintage
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.
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.
Harvest was early. The only concern was with low acids caused by hot days and warm nights. This concern persisted throughout all of the white grape harvest. Petit Manseng was picked October 1, 2019.
Winemaking
Very standard white winemaking: grapes were sorted, de-stemmed, crushed and pressed. Juice was settled for two days. Fermentation took place in tank for several months. Bottled on August 12, 2020. Alcohol 13.6%. Residual sugar 30 grams per liter. This wine has a very long aging potential. It should drink best between 2022 and 2027 (or even longer). 1,408 bottles produced.
Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2019 Vintage | 2019 Linden Petit Manseng demi sec