Regroup
The first big push is over. Bottom line is that we picked and pressed all the grapes that were ripe before the onset of Irma. We have some very nice white wines fermenting.
Read MoreIn the Barn
Today is the last “hurricane pick” day. We will be bringing in some, but not all of the Hardscrabble old vine Chardonnay. Frankly, I would like it to be a bit riper, but one section of the block has some bunch rot that could explode if we get the forecasted 3 or 4 days of lingering rain later this week.
Read MoreWild but Wonderful
This is the crush mode that I remember from the not so ‘good old days’. Its been physically and mentally challenging. We have so many lots of wines in fermenters, that I have to use different colors of labeling tape to ID lots, otherwise we get too confused as to what is where.
Read MoreIrma Plan
We had a good crush day yesterday. Very pleased with the juice quality, especially Avenius Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. It rained off and on all day...
Read MoreOff and Running (continued)
Now it feels like harvest. The cooler is being filled with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. I was too tired to make a decent dinner, but still managed to enjoy a glass of 2014 Grand Cru Chablis for information and inspiration.
Read MoreOff and Running
Today marks the beginning of the big push. Cool, wet weather has slowed ripening, so it has been a week since we last picked. Today we start with young vine Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Read MoreTough Decisions
Vintage 2017 is starting with a bit of anxiety. While picking has started, it has now stopped as we are still waiting for a bit more ripening of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. They are very very close, but if we picked now, the wines would be a bit green with unbalanced acidity.
Read MoreCat and Mouse
Rainy day. Not what we want, but at least we feel confident about pulling the trigger on yesterday’s pick. Looks like some hard decisions coming up as we play the cat and mouse game with alternating rain chances and sunny days.
Read MoreFirst Day of Harvest 2017
Ever leave the house for a trip and have that feeling that you forgot something?
Read More2016 Riesling | 2015 Petit Verdot | 2015 Hardscrabble Chardonnay | 2014 Boisseau Red
This coming weekend is traditionally one of our slowest in terms of visitors. ... So we will entice you to start an early and more cultured hedonism with four new wine releases.
Read MoreThe Vines | Terroir Project
After a very dry June and July our vines were in need of a good rain. An inch or two would have been great, but in just a few hours on August 11 we received 3.5 inches. This ended the drought and refreshed our stressed young vines.
Read MoreClassic Mid-Atlantic Summer
Most of you live in the area and have been experiencing our classic Mid-Atlantic summer. You may wonder how the vines are doing with the heat, humidity and lack of rain. The short answer is “fine”. The longer version is “it depends”.
Read MoreSauvignon Blanc
This is Linden’s first release of a 2016 vintage white wine. It is "2016": a warm dry harvest that resulted in very fruit forward, lush, and poised wines.
Read MoreI’m reminded of an old winegrower’s adage: “June makes the quantity, September makes the quality.”
Read MoreMother Nature has been a bit of a Wild Woman | Shoot Thinning | Terroir Project | Ashby Inn Wine Dinner
Mother Nature has been a bit of a wild woman. The vines shrugged off February temperatures in the 80°’s, teens in March and patchy frost in May. Our resilient vines have survived.
Read MoreAn Unsettled Spring | Fridays | Wine Dinners
2017 will be my 38th vintage. In the 1980s the idea of climate change seemed too futuristic to have any real consequences in my lifetime. Now it is here and having a more dramatic impact than I thought.
Read More2016 Linden Rosé
Rosé always marks the first release of a new vintage. It is a wine that is best enjoyed while it is fresh and vibrant. The 2016 edition is a bit different than past Linden Rosés.
Read MoreWeather Worries
It has started. The “worries” give a growing season its official beginning. Vine buds are still as tight as a drum, but sap has been flowing and temperatures for the next few nights are predicted to be in the teens.
Read MorePruning
Pruning is a winegrower’s favorite job. Especially on warm, sunny days. A small vineyardist has an intimate relationship with each vineyard block and in some ways, with each vine.
Read MoreLinden’s Terroir Project Begins
Decades ago, a certain intellectual curiosity led me to Virginia to grow winegrapes. That curiosity has not waned. Initial plantings in the 1980s and 1990s where established with great enthusiasm, but without much knowledge or experience. I am now very familiar and even intimate with the soils and slopes on this small farm.
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