Plan B
Yesterday we walked the vineyards, tasted grapes, gathered samples, and ran lab tests for the red grapes. And as has become our hourly ritual, we checked the weather forecast.
We then decided to buck up and face the music.
Read MoreCavalry to the Rescue
Yesterday Team Linden was faced with the impossible task of harvesting eight tons of grapes from two different vineyard sites and four different blocks. The crop was ripe but beginning to show signs of degradation due to all the wet weather.
Read MoreGood News, Bad News
The good news is that the major impact of high winds and torrential rains from hurricane Florence may miss us. My biggest concern is power loss. We have some solar/battery backup, enough to run small pumps and water, but not enough to power large processing equipment and cooling.
Read MoreGame Face
This week we will harvest most of our white grapes in anticipation of the arrival of hurricane Florence. We start at daybreak with Avenius Sauvignon Blanc and then head to Hardscrabble where the young vine Chardonnay will be picked. The week will be a continual cycle of picking and pressing.
Read MoreCautiously Optimistic
The cycle of harvest and crush is underway. Yesterday was a dizzying first day as we pressed out Boisseau Chardonnay, Boisseau Viognier, Hardscrabble Sauvignon Blanc, and Hardscrabble Semillon. It is quickly becoming evident that 2018 will become the vintage of “pretty” wines.
Read MoreOff and Running
Wednesday, September 5, marked the first day of harvest for Linden Vineyards. We started at the warmer Boisseau Vineyards with Chardonnay and Viognier under sunny skies and hot temperatures. Considering the challenges of the 2018 growing season, we are quite pleased with the quality of the crop.
Read MoreWaiting Game
Our grapes are ripening, but slowly. There has been enough heat, but not too much sun. We have avoided most of the thunderstorms over the past several days.
Read MoreA Little Bit of Optimisim
Finally the weather is in our favor. I can’t remember the last time we went a full week without rain. The vines are finally settling down with green growth slowing.
Read MorePunt
This week we will take the first sampling of Sauvignon Blanc grapes (always the first to ripen). Shari will run lab tests quantifying sugar, pH, and acid amounts. We will taste the juice for aroma and flavor. While harvest is still weeks away, this sampling and evaluation will give us a better idea as to when we might expect to start the vintage.
Read MoreWhere is that Canadian Cold Front?
In the debate of which growing season has been the most challenging, 2018 is starting to edge out 2003. We can’t seem to get a long enough dry spell to slow vine growth and give us a break. So far the clusters look good, but I can’t imagine that they will be able to hold on for too much longer if this stormy weather pattern persists.
Read MoreReady to Dry Out
Last week included disbelief, denial, and a reality check. After more than two months of record rains we felt that we should certainly be due for a change. Last week’s rains were salt on the wound.
Read MoreVeraison
Veraison has commenced. This is when the grapes turn color and start the ripening stage. So far only a few berries have colored. When 50% of the berries in any given block turn, the date is noted.
Read MorePalate Tune-ups
At Linden we practice palate-based winemaking. This means that our decisions are based primarily on taste rather than science or numbers. This works because we make wine from vineyards where we have grown and harvested the grapes for decades. There is a sense of what to expect, but always with a dash of surprise.
Read MoreA More Relaxed Pace
The last three weeks of hot, dry weather have finally calmed the rate of vine growth. After a very intense two months of “green work’’, we finally have the vineyard canopy in good order.
Read MoreGood Child, Bad Child
Thus far the rainy spring of vintage 2018 has produced vines of extreme vigor and unruly growth. I can’t remember the last time we spent so many days cutting out unwanted lateral shoots, leaves, tips, and/or suckers.
Read MoreBack to Normal
Ten yellow suns in a row appeared on the weather web site. This is exactly what the vines need.
Read MoreAeration
This has been a very intense week in the vineyard. Vine growth is unprecedented as copious amounts of rain and typical summer temperatures create hothouse conditions.
Read MoreEnough
Brilliant sunlight, breezes, and low humidity make for a better outlook when walking the vineyard. The crop will be shy, especially chardonnay and merlot. But there is enough.
Read MoreGrapes, Clones, and Rain
Finally we have had a few sunny days, but now it is back to rain. June is our busiest time in the vineyard and this June has been especially demanding.
Read MoreBiblical Rains II
Angst. Intellectually I know that everything will be all right. I’ve lived through this before. Spring 1997 experienced this level of precipitation, and it continues to be one of the all-time great vintages.
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