2019 Avenius Red
Style
Bramble fruit (fruits du bois) with the purity and expression of a cool terroir. Poised, sinewy with lingering fine tannins.
Food Pairings
Duck breast, braised meats, grilled marinated Portobello mushrooms.
Vineyards
Avenius Vineyard (100%), Warren Co. is just 1 mile north of Linden Vineyards at 1,300 feet elevation with an eastern slope. Soils are primarily greenstone. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot were planted in 1998. Merlot was planted in 2007 and 2012. This cool site retains red fruit character and a strong acidity that rewards aging.
Vintage
2019 was a very strong vintage for reds, though yields were down as some varieties recovered from rainy 2018.
Bud break in late April was normal and consistent. A warm, wet May stimulated rapid shoot growth. Some vineyard blocks exhibited very uneven shoot development. This proved to be a result of vascular damage from poor hardening off in late 2018. Young vines and Merlot were the most adversely affected.
An early bloom (late May through early June) was successful under ideal conditions (warm and sunny). The difference in cluster size and quantity was noticeable. Petit Verdot, having larger than normal bunches, but Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon being sparse.
Late June was marked by a moderate hailstorm that bruised and damaged berries on the top/west side of the canopy. Most, but not all of these berries shriveled and fell off. However there were still a significant number of compromised berries that would have the potential to present rot and uneven ripening issues later in the season.
July started a long, hot, dry period, which would last until harvest was over. There remained ample moisture in the ground, so vines did not slow their vegetative cycle until early August (right on time for véraison). A hot, dry August accelerated ripening.
Red grapes were picked under hot dry conditions, which is most unusual as a few decades ago we often had to wear gloves to keep our fingers warm. While it was an easy harvest, questions lingered about the timing of picking as the juice was very ripe, but tannins lagged in maturity. We opted to pick on the early side to preserve freshness and integrity of terroir. Extractions were gentle so as not to pick up any greenness or bitterness from seeds. Avenius Red harvest was September 19 through September 27, 2019.
Winemaking
Sorted and destemmed. Fermented warm with gentle pump-overs early and then punch downs once the cap formed. Pressing took place after about 20 to 28 days. The wine was aged for 21 months in once-used French oak barrels (Merlot) and new oak for the Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfined. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot. 1,730 bottles produced. Alcohol 13.5%. Drink now through 2030.
Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2019 Vintage | 2019 Avenius Red