Linden Update | July 13, 2022

July 13, 2022 Jim Law

These are Hardscrabble Chardonnay vines planted in 1985. Crop thinning not only concentrates the wine, but also keeps the vine healthy so that it can thrive in its old age.

After thinning.

We are often asked if it is emotionally difficult to drop so many clusters on the ground. The opposite is true. There is a sense of relief. The vines look so much better when properly thinned. They are back in balance. And we are very optimistic about vintage 2022.

Too Many Grapes

So far this summer’s weather has been pretty normal. We’ve avoided any damaging storms, but still have had a modest amount of rainfall. Temperatures have been average to slightly below average. All this makes the vines happy. They demonstrate their bliss by way of exuberant shoot growth along with large and copious clusters.

The potential yields are too big. An oversized crop makes for light, serviceable, but uninspiring wines. This is not our goal at Linden. So this week we have begun cluster thinning. Using small narrow-tipped picking shears we carefully remove excessive clusters, or in some cases, parts of clusters.

Each vine, each variety, and each block must have a certain balance. We visually evaluate the leaf-to-crop ratio. Bigger vines can handle a larger crop. We strategize yield goals according to wine style. A light, fresh Riesling or Rosé can support a larger crop than a concentrated full-bodied Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon. This is where experience is critical. Between our three vineyards there are eight of us thinning. Each of us have been working these same vines for decades. While every season is different, the goal remains the same. Not much discussion or instruction is required.

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Update: July 13, 2022