Linden Update | August 14, 2025
A Shift
Until yesterday’s thunderstorm, it had been almost four weeks since a measurable rainfall. In my 46 years of growing grapes, I cannot recall such a shift from wet to dry. The soils have dried. The grass and weeds are no longer verdant. Vine growth has slowed. But what is most remarkable is the rapidity of veraison. Veraison refers to the change of color in red wine grapes from green to black. It is an important quality marker. If this change is fast and consistent we can expect uniform ripening within a given parcel of vines.
With all the rains and lush vine growth during June and July, I was expecting a slow, uneven veraison. Moist soils don't stress vines; they would continue to put their energy into new shoot growth rather than ripening. But the timing of this dry spell has slowed vine growth and allowed the vines to concentrate on the grapes rather than new leaves.
This uniform color change is an especially important quality indicator for red wine grapes as most of the tannins are found in the skins. If the skins are uniformly ripe, the tannins will also be uniformly ripe. The wine then has potential to be supple, velvety, and sensual.
Yes, I'm getting ahead of myself, as the next few months will have the greatest impact on the vintage in terms of style and quality. But it's rewarding to start ripening in such an unexpectedly favorable position.
Harvest and Crush Tour and Tasting
All our work in the vineyard culminates with an intense burst of energy in the fall. Dormant spaces awaken, and equipment comes alive. From September 6 to October 12, we will offer a special 11:00 tour of the crush pad and cellars. You'll be able to taste (grapes, juice, fermenting wine), see (harvest or crush, depending on the day), and smell (fermentation aromas are intoxicating).
This is your opportunity to see up close how wine is made. Crush is the winemaking term for all the activity from picking the grapes to extracting the juice and starting fermentation. Our educational tour begins in the vineyard and then continues on the crush pad and into the cellar. We'll finish the tour with our comparative wine tasting in the tasting room.
Saturdays and Sundays at 11 am
$50 per person
By reservation only. Group size is limited.
If spaces fill up for either event, please email us at wine@lindenvineyards.com to join our waitlist.
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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Update: August 14, 2025