Next Week

Next week harvest will begin. It is an early start due to our continued drought-like conditions. First up to bat will be Boisseau Chardonnay and Viognier. The Boisseau Vineyard is always advanced due to its lower elevation and west facing slope. These two factors make for a warmer growing season than the Avenius and Hardscrabble vineyards which are higher in the mountains and face mostly east.

Hardscrabble Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon will follow in short order. These vines are some of our youngest (planted in 2012). They do not have the deep roots of older vines and are more affected by the dry conditions. Ripening has accelerated.

We are waiting for a predicted high-pressure system that will sweep through in mid-week. By the end of the week we should experience classic early fall weather: cool nights and low humidity. These are ideal picking conditions as the fruit stays cool and fresh on its way to refrigeration. We’ll chill the grapes even more overnight so that they are cold during pressing. This preserves aromas and reduces any bitterness that could come from the skins.

The crop looks absolutely beautiful so far. Pristine clusters with small berries. One concern (there are always concerns) is the lack of juice and the thickness and composition of the skins. With white wines skin phenols (tannins) can play a role in the structure and finish of the wine. This year’s challenge is that the skins may have an oversized influence on the wines due to their thickness. Additionally we may need to press harder in order to release the juice from the very pulpy grapes. The harder one squeezes, the more we extract from the skins.

We really won’t know how it goes until that juice starts flowing from the press. We will be tasting with great anticipation and making some important pressing decisions on the fly.

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal/Field Notes: August 26, 2023