Linden Update | October 1, 2026
Picking Cabernet Sauvignon - some rows are so steep we have to walk out the grapes to the tractor.
Respect the Vintage
Wine is a reflection of both place (terroir) and each growing season (vintage). 2026 has been unique, but not in the way we would like. This week we start and finish red grape harvest. The weather over the last few weeks has been challenging. Grapes don't really ripen much under cloudy skies. Misty showers can cause berry splitting and rot (gardeners: think tomatoes). Fortunately it has been cool. This delays the problems, but the fuse has been lit. Today temperatures were in the 80s and we may get more rain. It was not a tough decision to make the call to pick everything.
Gentle Extraction
This year our red grape skins are fragile and not fully ripe. The skins contain all a grape's color and most of the tannins. Red wine juice ferments together with skins pulling out color and tannins. This is called extraction. In the past three ripe vintages we crushed the grapes, fermented warm (80s), and let the fermented wines soak with the skins for up to 28 days. This was an appropriately aggressive approach given the vintages' high-quality tannins. But this year calls for restraint. If we made the wines in the same manner they would be hard, bitter, and unbalanced. We will not be crushing the grapes. This is called whole berry fermentation. If the skins remain intact there will be less tannins extracted from both the skins and the seeds. Fermentation temperatures will be kept cooler (in the 70s). The new wine will be drained away from the skins quickly, once fermentation is over. This would only be about 10 days. The goal is to have a fruity, lighter style wine that is balanced and appropriate for the vintage.
The Fall 2026 Winegrower's Selection includes the 2020 Avenius Red, 2022 Avenius Red, 2023 Boisseau Red, 2023 Boisseau Viognier, 2021 Avenius Chardonnay, and 2023 Avenius Chardonnay.
A Tale of Two Terroirs: Avenius and Boisseau Vineyards
In Linden's first decade we blended our various vineyard sites to make one Chardonnay and one Cabernet, but we came to the realization that this was hindering our understanding of terroir. So in 1997 we started a program of separate bottlings of each vineyard site (when appropriate). These single vineyard bottlings have now become the foundation that defines Linden.
Hardscrabble Vineyard surrounds the winery and is the oldest (1985) and largest (18 acres) planting. Avenius Vineyard is a 5 acre vineyard planted in 1996. Boisseau, just shy of 5 acres, was planted in 2000.
The high elevation Avenius Vineyard is Linden's coolest site and is known for its mineral acidity and long finish. Shari Avenius continues to manage her vines intuitively and unconventionally. These wines reward aging. In contrast, Boisseau is our "hot spot" located 6 miles west of Linden on a west facing ridge overlooking Front Royal in the Shenandoah Valley. Richard Boisseau's vineyard management style is empirical and meticulous. The wines have more weight, alcohol, and fruit.
Fall 2026 Winegrower's Selection
The Winegrower’s Selection includes six-bottle shipments twice a year of small-lot bottlings, unusual wines, and vintages of which we are particularly proud.
This fall's Winegrower's Selection will focus on the smaller single vineyard bottlings of Avenius and Boisseau. It will include the 2020 Avenius Red, 2022 Avenius Red, 2023 Boisseau Red, 2023 Boisseau Viognier, 2021 Avenius Chardonnay, and 2023 Avenius Chardonnay. The cost is $323 (plus relevant taxes and $15 shipping). We ship via UPS to Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington, DC. The wines will ship the first week of November or you can pick up.
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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Update: October 1, 2026