2021 Petit Manseng Demi-Sec
Style
Linden’s 2021 Petit Manseng has exotic tropical yellow fruit aromas (papaya and mango) along with a honeyed preserved lemon note and a bit of brioche and sourdough in the background. The wine is demi sec referring to its caressing sweetness (about 30 grams of residual sugar). A zingy acidity refreshes the finish.
Food Pairings
Demi sec Petit Manseng is super versatile with food. It is pleasing as a greeter wine as it pairs well with a diversity or hors d'oeuvres from cheeses to shrimp to salty snacks. For a main course it is best with spicy dishes, especially Asian and Caribbean. Finally it pairs well with fruit based (and not too sweet) desserts.
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
Spring came in gently and predictably. A cold February was followed by a dry, mild March. Bud break was in late April, right on time. May did not follow suit as hail on May 7 damaged some emerging shoots. Fortunately the damage was mostly cosmetic to only the base of the shoots as the clusters had not yet unfolded.
May was very dry as was June and July. This made for a good crop (excellent pollination conditions) with small berries (water stressed vines), but young vines were beginning to show signs of excessive water stress (stunted growth and yellowing basal leaves).
Veraison began in late July under ideal conditions: hot and dry. Color change was quick and uniform setting the stage for high quality. Mid-August presented a big shift with humid, wet nights and frequent quick, hard showers. This slowed the ripening process and elevated disease pressure. Ripening stalled and the waiting game began.
Late August and the first days of September gave us humid days and rainy nights, but eventually the skies cleared and a window of ideal weather allowed us to start picking.
Vintage 2021 required extreme patience as we waited for a weather shift. The ten days from late September through the first week of October gave us that window. Petit Manseng enjoyed these ideal conditions and was picked on October 11 and October 25, the last grapes to come in for vintage 2021.
Winemaking
Very standard white winemaking: grapes were sorted, de-stemmed, crushed and pressed. Juice was settled for two days. Fermentation took place in well used French oak barrels. Bottled on January 31, 2023. Alcohol 12.7%. This wine has a very long aging potential. It should drink best between 2027 and 2032 (or even longer). 1,350 bottles produced. Released July 2026.
Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2021 Vintage | 2021 Petit Manseng Demi-Sec