Linden Update | September 16, 2026
40th harvest at Hardscrabble Vineyard with Chardonnay picked on September 9
Harvest Update
I'm not going to lie. 2026 has been a challenging vintage from beginning to end. However, given modern global advances in viticulture, technology, and spin messaging, all vintages are now above average. This is comforting.
Whites: Slim Pickings
Tomorrow we finish up the last of white wine harvest (with the exception of Petit Manseng). Our old vine Chardonnay grapes needed every last kiss of sunshine. It is the majority component of Hardscrabble Chardonnay and has been struggling to ripen. Yields for white wines have been down because of weakened vines from previous years' infestations of Spotted Lanternfly, frost, and poor weather during pollination. August and early September rains resulted in lower potential alcohols (most wines will be in the 12% range), but high-quality acids. Fresh and mineral will probably be common descriptors.
Reds: Anxiously Waiting
Reds still need a sustained run of good weather. Good is the critical word here. We are more than a bit worried about next week's forecast. The crop is ample, especially for Cabernet Sauvignon which buds late (after the April 21 frost) and flowered under ideal conditions (unlike Chardonnay). The weather over the next two to three weeks will determine the style and quality of red wines from the 2026 vintage.
2020 and 2023 Hardscrabble Chardonnay, 2022 and 2023 Claret, and 2023 Avenius and Hardscrabble Reds are featured in the new tasting
Flagship Tasting
For our 40th harvest at Hardscrabble we decided to celebrate one of our best vintages in recent past: 2023. An ideal dry, cool growing season produced a crop with concentration, precise acidity, and generous tannin structure. We felt a need to flood the zone with these beauties to remind us of recent glory days.
The comparative tasting features Hardscrabble Chardonnay from 2020 and 2023 (new release), Clarets from 2022 and 2023, and new releases of the 2023 Avenius Red and 2023 Hardscrabble Red.
Reservations are recommended, especially with beautiful fall weather. Walk-ins are welcome, as space allows.
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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Update: September 16, 2026