Journal | August 31, 2023
Vintage 2023 Starts Today
Today is the first day of harvest. We start at daybreak picking Boisseau Chardonnay and Viognier. Both blocks are very small and the picking should only take about 4 hours. We will then head back to Hardscrabble to pick Semillon. Across the board these are the most beautiful, flawless, perfect looking clusters I have ever seen. Droughts do have some benefits: no disease issues.
Tomorrow we will continue with Hardscrabble Sauvignon Blanc. The timing of this picking is ideal. The flavors and maturity are in the sweet spot and morning temperatures are predicted to be in the 40Fs. The aromas of Sauvignon Blanc are best preserved when harvested cool.
For the next two days everything will go into Linden’s specially built refrigerator that can chill up to 10 tons of grapes. We’ll then crush and press on Saturday.
We always start the first day of harvest feeling both anxiety and euphoria. Anxiety because all our work over the past 8 months hinges on the weather, decisions and logistics that unfold starting today. Euphoria because we love what we do.
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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal/Field Notes: August 31, 2023