Journal | August 20, 2025
150 berries picked for sampling
Juice from the samples for lab tests
Late Harvest?
It looks like it will be a late start to vintage 2025. Veraison (color change) in red wine grapes was only slightly later than average, but yesterday we ran our first lab tests on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The grapes have only just begun to ripen: sugars are low, acids are extremely high and flavors are green. We have a long way to go.
Linden has lab data on every vintage since 1987. When comparing the “numbers” to past vintages it looks like it could be mid-September before we start with Sauvignon Blanc. After two early and hot vintages this is welcome news. Slow ripening under cooler conditions retains more freshness and better quality acidity in the whites. Reds tend to be more complex with finer grain tannins. Two of my favorite red wine vintages were cool October harvests: 2009 and 2017. As we leave August and enter the critical month of September, the signature of weather becomes increasingly important. Our mantra is: cool nights, warm sunny days and minimal rainfall. And no hurricanes.
Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Hardscrabble Journal: August 20, 2025