Hardscrabble Journal

Blending Trials Part 3: The Big Week

Blending decisions have been made on paper. Next task is to physically make the blends in the cellar. Timing is weather dependent, as we don’t want to be wasting nice pruning days doing cellar work. We wait for a string of inclement weather days to do the actual blending work. This happened last week. 

It had been several months since we did any cellar work, so the first day was spent cleaning tanks, pumps, hoses. Barrels were marked with chalk designating the proper tank to be pumped into. B for Boisseau, A for Avenius, H for Hardscrabble, C for Claret and P for Petit Verdot. There were also a couple of “?” barrels that would await a last minute decision. More on that later.

Perhaps our most important tools are wine glasses and a wine thief. The wine thief is a giant pipette (it kind of looks like a turkey baster) with which we can draw a sample of wine from an individual barrel. Each barrel is tasted before it is pumped into the designated tank. It is our last chance to evaluate, learn and reflect on an individual block or variety for vintage 2019.

In the morning we very carefully pump barrels into tanks. In winemaking jargon this is known as racking. On the bottom of each barrel is a layer of sediment called lees that is not taken. Only the clear wine is pumped out. This is the first step in clarifying the wine. Once almost all the barrels have been racked into their appropriate tank, we retaste the blends upstairs in the library. The cold, damp cellar is not the best place to make important decisions. We do some quick blending trials with those “?” barrels to address any hesitations we may have had weeks ago during the main blending trials. Eventually all the barrels find a home. 

During the racking, barrels are washed with a specially designed pressure washer, drained and sorted according to age and cooper. We then decide on which blends and barrels are the best matches. And refill accordingly. 

The whole process takes two or three days. These are very intense days, as any mistake cannot be rectified. It is extremely satisfying to taste each blend, especially for a vintage such as 2019. What follows is a very brief description of each wine:

Hardscrabble: typically structured with lots of Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc plays a significant supporting role. A bit more linear than usual. Medium bodied, but promises a long aging potential.

Avenius: Classic red fruit and fresh acidity along with a ripeness that gives textural complexity. Some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon ever coming out of this vineyard. Dances well with Merlot. Petit Verdot adds a certain darkness.

Boisseau: Classic hedonistic Boisseau. Rich, generous and mouth filling. Cabernet Franc is the lead grape this vintage.

Claret: A darker, more brooding Claret with lots of tannin structure from high amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine will reward aging.

Petit Verdot: Unusually 100% varietal. The 2019 the anything but restrained. Unapologetically loud and boisterous.

Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal: February 11, 2020