New Releases | February 2018
2016 Boisseau Viognier
This is the second vintage of a wine that frankly challenges Linden’s “house style”. We are known for whites with focused acidity and minerality. That’s not what Viognier does. So taking a cue from Congress, we are learning to compromise. We respect Viognier’s varietal character of tropical fruits, lush weight, and lower acidity. However, by picking earlier, fermenting warmer and using neutral (older) barrels we’ve managed to restrain some of Viognier’s exuberant excesses and have uncovered a bit of terroir expression from Boisseau’s older vines.
2015 Hardscrabble Red
After many months of pulling corks from bottles of 2014 and 2015 Hardscrabble Red, I’ve decided to release the 2015 vintage before the 2014. Vintage expression trumps chronological sequence. 2014 is taking way too much time to integrate its acidity, but the 2015’s tannins are already very lush and ready for prime time.
This is because 2015 Hardscrabble Red has more Merlot (35%) and Cabernet Franc (19%) than usual. The vintage favored these earlier ripening varieties, whereas we had to do a much stricter declassification of the Cabernet Sauvignon (46%).
2015 Homage
My father, Richard Law, was instrumental in starting Linden Vineyards in the 1980’s. One could argue that the seed of Linden Vineyards began in the 1960’s when Burgundies and Bordeaux appeared on the family dinner table. My dad’s new found vinous appreciation was shared with anyone who showed interest. What teenager would argue with such opportunity?
The Bordeaux that he loved most were St. Emillions. Classically, these wines are Merlot dominant with Cabernet Franc playing a supporting role. Homage 2015 is 68% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Franc (all from Hardscrabble Vineyard). This one time bottling is a toast to Linden’s roots, even before the first vine was planted.
Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | New Releaeses: February 2018