Journal | September 15, 2021
Patience Rewards
This past week’s weather has made for a remarkable turnaround in the flavors and concentration in the grapes. It’s the break we needed. The only small downside has been the recent hot afternoons. We have limited picking to the cooler morning hours. Coolness retains fresh aromatics and limits bitterness in the juice.
Today we crush and press Avenius Sauvignon Blanc along with Boisseau Chardonnay and Viognier. We are excited about the flavors and balance showing in the grapes. We will have to spend some time at the sorting table. There is some rot resulting from rains of a few weeks ago. Most of the damaged berries have dried up which makes them easier to remove.
Sorting out rotten berries from otherwise healthy clusters is not one of the more glamorous aspects of winemaking. It is a consequence of gambling on the weather and waiting for full ripeness and flavor expression. The good news is that the Avenius and Hardscrabble Chardonnay clusters look beautiful on the vine. Very little sorting will be required. We will begin picking them tomorrow and continue into next week.
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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal: September 15, 2021