Homage 2015
Lingering. Homage is a one-time bottling of Merlot (68%) and Cabernet Franc (32%). With seven years of age, it is harmonious, contemplative, and resolved.
Read MoreSurvived Ian with minimal casualties
The rain remnants of Ian were not welcome. The grapes are swollen and the clusters are fragile. But they survived. We’ll now take advantage of a string of beautiful, sunny crisp days.
Read More2009 Hardscrabble Red
This is one of Linden’s benchmark wines. It is now “in the window” of great drinking pleasure. Aging rewards.
Read MoreWe Picked
We picked for three days straight. We picked at all three vineyards. We picked four different varieties. We picked 18 blocks. Today we ran out of lugs (picking baskets), cooler space, and time. We’re trying not to be too exhausted as we now have two days of crush ahead of us.
Read MoreIn the Barn
All of Linden’s Chardonnay is now “in the barn”. The grapes took full advantage of dry, sunny weather.
Tough Decisions
Our eyes are now on red grapes and the track of Hurricane Ian. We’ll start red harvest on Wednesday. Ian will decide for us how much to pick.
Read MorePicking Chardonnay. Merlot soon
All Linden’s Chardonnay will be “in the barn” by Monday. We allowed it to take full advantage of dry, sunny weather.
Read More2013 Hardscrabble Red
Autumnal. Aged red wines often evoke a feel of fall. The 2013 Hardscrabble Red has an earthy, dried leaf character that dovetails well with its black raspberries on the nose and dark fruits on the palate.
Read MoreFarewell Sauvignon Blanc, Hello Chardonnay
Today we crush both Hardscrabble and Avenius Sauvignon Blanc. They were picked meticulously over the last two cool mornings.
Read More2014 Petit Verdot
Sinewy: lean and muscular. This is a wine that won’t relax any time soon. It’s all muscle, no fat, with a bright acidity that gives the wine length and freshness. We’ve held back an ample stock of bottles knowing that its best years are yet to come.
Read MoreFinally, Perfect Weather
Finally, the weather we had hoped for has arrived. Perfect ripening conditions. Tomorrow will be the beginning of a long stretch of harvesting and crushing.
Read MoreFirst Day of Crush
Today we crush and press Hardscrabble Semillon and some Hardscrabble Sauvignon Blanc. The first day of crush brings excitement and angst.
Read MoreStill Waiting
At this writing the sun is bright and a drying wind gusts out of the north. Six hours ago it was damp, foggy, and drizzling. Our erratic growing season seems to want to continue into harvest.
Read MoreWaiting For Ripening
Waiting is the hardest part. Especially when it is raining. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are very close to full maturity. But to make a balanced, terroir driven wine, close isn’t good enough.
Read More2015 Hardscrabble Red
Structured. 2015 was a classic vintage. Classic can mean many things. For us it means normal and average. This is what we plan on when planting our vines. This is a wine of terroir. It unveils who we are. It is not rich, it is not fruity, it is not big. But it is structured with firm tannins and fresh acidity. It is classic Hardscrabble with bramble fruit, forest floor, balsam on the nose.
Read MoreHarvest Outlook Improving
We’ve finally caught some breaks in the weather. The soils are the driest they have been this year due to a combination of missed thunderstorms and warm, sunny days. Now the question is how long will our luck last?
Read More2015 Avenius Sauvignon Blanc
Pungent is the word that we all immediately agreed on. There is an aromatic lift that has so many layers. Lime, juniper (gin and tonic), roasted corn, just to get started. However, this wine’s herbal characteristics garnered the most discussion. We’ve had this debate before: fresh herbs, herbal, herbaceous, even green and vegetal. They all describe something slightly different. Perhaps the true difference is in the nose of the beholder. What’s important is that there is lots of talk. This is a wine with personality.
Read More2016 Boisseau Viognier
Voluptuous. The texture and mouthfeel of this Viognier is classic. The warm 2016 vintage gives a generosity, warmth, and fullness that is more akin to red wines. Age has given the wine an exotic perfume and palate harmony.
Read MoreVéraison
There is only one time when one can see ripeness. And that time is now. Véraison is the coloring up of grapes and the beginning of ripening. With black grapes it is very distinctive. White grape veraison is less obvious, but there is still a subtle shift in color and translucency.
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