2021 Linden Riesling
Style
Vintage 2021 gave us a quaffable, light bodied Riesling that is low in alcohol (10.2%) and restrained in sweetness (a barely detectable 7grams per liter). Aromas and flavors of tree fruits, stone dust, and fennel, this is the perfect pool, beach, picnic wine for a warm summer day.
Food Pairings
Charcuterie, salads, Asian cuisine, soft cheeses or salty snacks!
Vineyard
Hardscrabble (Estate) Fauquier Co., on the Blue Ridge at an elevation of 1,100 to 1,200 feet on an eastern slope. Well drained volcanic-origin greenstone and granite soils. Lyre training. Vines planted in 1997.
Vintage
Spring came in gently and predictably. A cold February was followed by a dry, mild March. Bud break was in late April, right on time. May did not follow suit as hail on May 7 damaged some emerging shoots. Fortunately the damage was mostly cosmetic to only the base of the shoots as the clusters had not yet unfolded.
May was dry as was June and July. This made for a good crop (excellent pollination conditions) with small berries (water stressed vines), but young vines were beginning to show signs of excessive water stress (stunted growth and yellowing basal leaves).
Veraison began in late July under ideal conditions: hot and dry. Color change was quick and uniform setting the stage for high quality. Mid-August presented a big shift with humid, wet nights and frequent quick, hard showers. This slowed the ripening process and elevated disease pressure. Riesling was picked September 17, 2021.
Winemaking
Riesling was fermented relatively cool (20° C). The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks and bottled in August of 2022. It is ready to drink after one or two years of bottle age. 10.2% alcohol. Residual sugar is 7 grams per liter. 1880 bottles produced. Drink through 2025.
Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2021 Vintage | 2021 Linden Riesling