2021 Village Chardonnay
Style
The ripe, warm 2021 Village Chardonnay is more powerful than previous vintages. In its youth the aromas have a distinct apple skin and orange zest fragrance. The palate shows richness and warmth with a ripe generosity.
Food Pairings
This vintage will pair with rich fish, braised chicken, or a creamy hummus with lots of tahini.
Vineyard
Hardscrabble Vineyard (80%), Fauquier Co. 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. Vines planted in 1985, 1988, 1994 and 2010, 2014 and 2016. VSP and French Lyre training systems.
Boisseau Vineyard (20%) 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
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. Mid-August presented a big shift with humid, wet nights and frequent quick, hard showers. This slowed the ripening process and elevated disease pressure. Mid-September gave us the ripening window we were waiting for with sunny days and cool nights. Harvest for Boisseau Chardonnay was September 13 and Hardscrabble Chardonnay was September 15 through 27.
Winemaking
Chilled grapes were sorted, pressed, juice settled and then barrel fermented warm (70's F) in old, neutral French oak. No malolactic fermentation. Aged sur lie in barrel for 10 months. The 2021 Village Chardonnay is a blend of declassified Hardscrabble barrels mostly from younger vines along with some Boisseau Chardonnay. 2,630 bottles produced. This wine will improve in the bottle for several years past vintage. Alcohol 13.4%.
Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2021 Vintage | 2021 Village Chardonnay