Journal | July 7, 2024
Note the withered overcrops in the background
Not much change.
Our Cabernet Sauvignon cluster hasn’t changed much. This is very good news. The berries remain small. Small berries make wines more concentrated. We are experiencing near drought conditions, but the vines are healthy. We learned from vintage 2023 that vines do not need a lot of water to thrive. Our work pace has slowed since just a few weeks ago. No rain means little grass or weed growth. Vine growth has slowed, and commensurately so has hedging.
With the vineyard work tapering off, we will turn back to the cellar earlier than normal. We’ll be bottling at the end of the month (usually done in August). Given the heat and dryness, we are anticipating an early harvest. Bottling will be finished before August so we can maintain and clean crush equipment sooner than normal. Just in case.
If I may break my own rule of not declaring a vintage before the grapes are harvested: 2024 looks like it could be a “red vintage’. When whites ripen early (before mid-September) under hot conditions they can lose freshness and verve. Reds, and especially Cabernet Sauvignon normally ripen later in the season (October) on our high elevation site. They can benefit from the earlier ripening. The wines could be more powerful, but we will still need cool nights to preserve finesse.
Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Hardscrabble Journal: July 7, 2024