2020 Boisseau Viognier
Style
The nose is complex with perfumed lilac and candied fruit slices. It is classic Viognier: full bodied and viscous with a white pepper/walnut skin finish.
Vineyard
Boisseau Vineyard, Warren Co. is located on a bluff above Front Royal in the Shenandoah Valley at an elevation of 600 feet. The vineyard is west facing on light, deep, well drained loam soils. The vines were planted in 2000 and are trained on cordon/VSP trellising.
Vintage
Winter ended early as March warmed and quickly initiating a very early bud break. From early April to early May we were on frost alert with many close calls.
Cooler than average April and May also slowed vine development, but a warm streak in June allowed for good flowering and berry set. A hot, dry mid-July slowed vine growth at just the right time. The vines were looking balanced and ready to put their energy into ripening at as veraison was soon to begin.
Late July gave us a few welcome rain showers that refreshed the vines, but those showers eventually became more steady rains and by mid-August the soils were close to saturated. This slowed the veraison process and pushed predicted harvest dates 7 to 10 days behind average. Smoke haze from the west coast fires filtered sunlight on some days. Harvest was slow to begin, but finally started with Boisseau Viognier on September 9. 2020.
Winemaking
Chilled grapes were sorted, crushed and pressed The juice was oxygenated and settled Barrel fermented warm (70's F) in old, neutral French oak. No malolactic fermentation. Aged sur lie in barrel for 10 months. Bottled in August of 2022. 586 bottles produced. This wine will improve in the bottle for several years past vintage. Alcohol 13.5%.
Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2020 Vintage | 2020 Boisseau Viognier