2020 Petit Manseng Demi Sec
Style
Demi sec translates as half dry which means that there is just a touch of sweetness in the wine. This is to balance out the natural piercing acidity that the grape variety Petit Manseng is known for.
food pairings
The touch of sweetness in this wine pairs well with something with a bit of spice. Salty appetizers would also be great. Other food pairings are blue cheese or Moo shu pork.
Vineyard
Hardscrabble is Linden’s estate vineyard where there are three small plantings of Petit Manseng. The vines are at an elevation of 1,300 feet on a northeast slope. Vines were planted in 2002, 2006 and 2015.
Vintage
Winter ended early as March warmed and quickly initiating a very early bud break. From early April to early May we were on frost alert with many close calls. May 9 (Mother’s Day) finally nipped vines resulting in reduced yields.
Cooler than average April and May also slowed vine development, but a warm streak in June allowed for good flowering and berry set. A hot, dry mid-July slowed vine growth at just the right time. The vines were looking balanced and ready to put their energy into ripening at as veraison was soon to begin.
Late July gave us a few welcome rain showers that refreshed the vines, but those showers eventually became more steady rains and by mid-August the soils were close to saturated. This slowed the veraison process and pushed predicted harvest dates 7 to 10 days behind average. Smoke haze from the west coast fires filtered sunlight on some days.
Harvest was slow to begin with some uneven ripening. Petit Manseng was the last varietal picked on October 26.
Winemaking
Very standard white winemaking: grapes were sorted, de-stemmed, crushed and pressed. Juice was settled for two days. Fermentation took place in tank for several months. Bottled on July 29, 2021. Alcohol 13.1%. This wine has a very long aging potential. It should drink best between 2024 and 2028 (or even longer). 1,270 bottles produced.
Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2020 Vintage | 2020 Petit Manseng Demi Sec