*Jim draining the bins before pressing off the skins.*

Draining Reds Early

A winemaker's job is to identify and emphasize the best parts of each vintage. As this year's red wines finish fermenting we are tasting pretty cherry and raspberry characteristics along with a stony mineral acidity. This may well be the strength of our 2026 red wines, so this week we are draining the vats early and gently pressing any remaining wine out of the skins. Cuvaison refers to the length of time that the skins and the new wine stay together. Usually the duration is about four weeks. But this year two weeks is enough. The 2026 growing season did not provide desirable silky skin tannins and we don't want the finesse and purity that is unfolding compromised by a coarse finish.

Some of the wines are still actively fermenting and have some sweetness. Residual sugar masks some of the nuance of the wine. So we'll wait before putting the wines into barrel. Right now the cellar is full of a variety of small stainless-steel tanks temporarily holding the new wines until they calm down and better express their personalities.

All this is somewhat new to us. This year many of our time-honored methods have been abandoned, replaced by winging it and trusting our palates to make decisions.

Linden Update | October 15, 2026

Draining Reds Early

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