Terroir is a French term that is not accurately translatable. I define terroir as wine’s expression of the influences of climate, soil and winegrower choices. All sites have terroir, but it may not be of high quality, or its full potential may not have yet been realized.
Read MoreIn early September 2011 I was dining with Jean Philip Roby, a visiting consultant from Bordeaux. We had just dodged a bullet by the name of Hurricane Irene, but were in the midst of the constant unending rains of Tropical Storm Lee. Jean Philip does not carry the stereotypical pessimism that seems to be the trademark of many of my French colleagues. In the time that I had known him there was always a refreshing optimism that spirited me on.
Read MoreI have no memory of not cooking. Early in life, watching my mother prepare meals provided curious entertainment. Once my motors skills developed, I became her occasional sous chef.
Read MoreA wine appellation is a government endorsed region that shares a common geography and climate. The region’s wine styles reflect this commonality. Like most things in the wine world, it all started in France in the 1930’s.
Read More“The best winegrowers are guided by a subjective palate, not scientific protocol.”
Read MoreIt’s fairly easy to make good white wines in a young region like ours. But with art, craftsmanship, and intuition, we can also make great reds.
Read More“Vintage variation” probably best describes the challenge and joy of being both a Virginia winegrower and wine consumer. The year printed on the label reflects amount of sun, rain, heat, and clouds that directly impacted the style, character and quality of the wine in the bottle.
Read MoreFauquier County has been experiencing a somewhat contentious winery zoning debate.
Read MoreThere is more acreage of Chardonnay in Virginia than any other variety. It is the most widely sold variety in the US. It arguably makes some of the most complex and age worthy white wines in the world and receives the highest prices. Then why is it Virginia’s wallflower wine?
Read MoreBack in the 1970s, a few hardheaded pioneers dared to plant vinifera on their farms in eastern North America. Their goal was to keep the vines alive and make clean, correct wines. That goal has been met from Niagara to Georgia, but while Thomas Jefferson might have been pleased...
Read MoreI am not content with the quality of my wines. I know that they can be better. It is also self evident that if I do not change what I am doing, my wines will not improve. Although I am making changes and improvements in my cellar, I feel that the key to improving my wines is found in the vineyard.
Read MoreOver the years I have taken on several young apprentices here at Linden Vineyards. Most come with little or no experience, but with great enthusiasm and a hunger for knowledge. They lull me out of stifling inertia and complacency with inquisitive and often challenging questions.
Read MoreWinegrowers tend to use, and in many cases, overuse certain buzz words. I am no exception. My latest word is “balance”.
Read MoreIn this stage of my winegrowing career, I have come to focus on certain viticultural ideas and practices that I am comfortable with.
Read MoreWe are the wealthiest society in the history of man. We have more resources available to us than any previous generation could have imagined. These intellectual and material resources have allowed a flourishing winegrowing industry to evolve in the East.
Read MoreOver the past two years I have visited California (Sonoma and Napa) and Bordeaux during their veraison. Although I have made several trips to these regions in the past, I felt that I could learn more by seeing the vines, canopy and fruit in early August.
Read MoreMany viticultural management decisions are based on tradition and habit. I find this to be particularly true with pruning systems.
Read MoreI am an avid wine trade journal reader. I have recently been struck by the proliferation of emerging winegrowing areas that are being promoted as the next Napa Valley.
Read MoreMy never-ending quest to make great wine has led me down some unusual paths. For the past several years, I have been working with under vine cover crops with the goal of creating a more balanced vine.
Read MoreMost of us are first generation winegrowers. We have started with no vineyard history on our sites. As I enter the third decade of farming Hardscrabble, Linden’s estate vineyard, I am realizing how much of a disadvantage being a pioneer can be.
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