Journal | September 30, 2022
We 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.
We picked grapes that will make some beautiful wines. The Merlots and Cabernet Francs are especially ripe and flavorful. This is our first big yield of Cabernet Franc vines planted in 2017 and 2018. Finally enough grapes to warrant a dedicated fermenter so we can keep lots, and subsequently barrels, separate without having to blend for volume logistics. We’ll now be introduced to their terroir expression.
We picked grapes that were not fully ripe, but would probably not fair well after three days of rain. Boisseau Petit Verdot and some young vine Hardscrabble Cabernet Sauvignon have good flavors, but the tannins are still a bit rustic and the acids are high. These wines will probably not be balanced, but should work well as blending partners.
We did not pick old vine Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. They are not ripe enough to make balanced wine. Old vines ripen later than young vines and are much more resilient to the negative effects of rain. This is because their deep roots better regulate swings of superficial soil moisture extremes. Their thicker skins also have a better chance of resisting rot and degradation from rain.
It will be cold during this rain event. This fact more than any other factor could save the rest of the vintage. When the temperatures are below 60°F the vines' metabolism slows, and they do not take up much water. Cooler temperatures also slow the development of any rot organisms. By mid-next week we will have a good idea as to what our fate will be for the remainder of vintage 2022.
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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal: September 30, 2022