Frost again?
Vulnerable.
Once again. Most of our vines have budded out and are now freeze susceptible.
Read MoreThis is why vines are planted on slopes!
After dire warnings of a bud killing freeze, the only thing we lost was sleep.
Read MoreSnow Yesterday, Frost Tomorrow?
It’s complicated. Some vines have budded out. Snow is not a problem. But temperatures below 30°F are a problem.
Read MoreClimate Change and Bottling
This week we bottled Linden’s 2020 red wines. This was a good five months earlier than our typical bottling regime for red wines. Vintage 2020’s weather produced wines with refreshing, crunchy red fruit and acidity. We felt that additional barrel aging would muddle the purity of the wines. So it was decided to bottle early.
Read MoreBlending Part III: Respect the Vintage
We spent last week focused on blending trials for Hardscrabble Red 2021. In our initial tastings the Cabernet Sauvignon was most impressive, but we felt that the riper, more full-bodied Cabernet Franc would play an important role in building the mid-palate of the final blend. We were mistaken.
Read MoreBlending Trials: Part II
We came to consensus on the blend for Avenius Red 2021 fairly quickly. At the first flight, the wine with the most finesse and elegance was the unanimous preference. We then worked around that blend for two days, adding and subtracting components. Invariably, the original blend was preferred in every blind tasting.
Read MoreBlending Trials: Part I
Blending trials begin in January. After several weather delays we finally got started this week. Red wines from the previous vintage (2021) have now settled down and are beginning to show their personalities. We also have time. This is a slow process.
Read MoreWarm Winter Worries
No snow. The grass is still green. No ice on the pond. No winter this year?
Read MoreA First Look at Vintage 2021
This week we systematically tasted samples from barrels of the 2021 vintage.
Read MoreProgress Report: 2021 Red Wines
This week wines from Linden’s red fermenters were drained into barrels. This was earlier than normal, but they were in a good place in their evolution and we did not want to over extract. We are getting a better sense of the wines. But they are still finishing up their malolactic fermentations which makes them a bit funky and gassy. That will soon blow off.
Read MorePalate-Based Winemaking
Linden’s red wine fermentations have already completed. The yeast had an easy go of it this vintage as alcohols are on the low to moderate side (averaging around 13%).
Read MoreFive Intense Days of Harvest
Yesterday we picked the last of our red grapes. Vintage 2021 required extreme patience as we waited for a weather miracle to ripen our stubborn reds. The past ten days gave us that miracle with warm, sunny days, low humidity, and cool nights.
Read MorePalate-Based Winemaking
Perfect weather has given us the window to harvest all our red grapes. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot are streaming onto the crush pad at an unprecedented rate. Style decisions are made as we taste the grapes during picking and sorting.
Read MoreBig Harvest Week
We are given a gift of ideal weather conditions. This week will be the most intense week of Vintage 2021. Almost all of our red grapes need to be harvested this week as they are fragile and cannot take another rain event. We start with Merlot on Wednesday.
Read MoreGrapes are OK, but Fragile
After Wednesday’s deluge we have had perfect ripening weather. The big concern centered around grape integrity. With a large hit of water the grapes will swell. Even worse they can crack. If this happens they lose their protective coating and start to fall apart. They cannot recover, even under ideal weather conditions.
Read MoreWhat Happens Next?
Yesterday was a bummer. There is no way to sugarcoat a big rain during harvest.
Read MoreNow Picking Hardscrabble Chardonnay
We start this week picking Hardscrabble Chardonnay. Two blocks are ripe and we need to get them in the barn (walk-in cooler) before Wednesday’s forecasted rain. Two additional blocks will remain as they need a bit more time before they come into balance.
Read MorePicking Riesling Today
We can rarely schedule Hardscrabble’s Riesling picking date. Once the grapes enter the window of ripeness they become highly susceptible to rot. Rot is triggered by rain. It rained yesterday. We pick today.
Read MorePatience 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.
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