Hardscrabble Journal

Respecting and Discovering Terroir

Yesterday we spent seven hours sorting and crushing Merlot. For the first time ever, all three vineyard sites were processed on the same day. This gave us a good opportunity to get intimate with the terroir differences of each site.

Remarkably, the chemistry (sugar and acid) of all three sites was similar. However the flavors, tannins, color and even juiciness of each site varied considerably. The wines will reflect this.

While it would have been much more efficient to put all the Merlot in a big tank and ferment it as one, this is unthinkable at Linden. Understanding our terroirs is what drives us. This concept elevates technical winemaking to philosophical winegrowing. Science to art.

In traditional wine regions each generation builds on the next. They have inherited the wisdom and experiences of their ancestors. We are first generation winegrowers, which can be a disadvantage as there is no foundation to build on. But we have a rare opportunity that only a few others can share. First shot at virgin terroir. 

Soil maps, rootstocks, clones, vine spacing, row direction, slope aspect: so many decisions with so little guidance. We do our due diligence, plant, and then spend the rest of our careers fine tuning and learning about our little patch of earth.

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal: October 8, 2020