Style

We only make one or two barrels each year from this tiny planting. Viognier tends to be perfumed and tropical. These are varietal characteristics that we downplay because our goal is to express the Boisseau terroir. This warmer Shenandoah Valley vineyard site is ideal for Viognier. This is a winter white wine as it is full bodied with a grip on the finish.

Food Pairings

Our favorite pairing is She-crab soup, but any seafood bisque would be exquisite.

Vineyard

Boisseau Vineyard, Warren Co. is located on a bluff above Front Royal in the Shenandoah Valley at an elevation of 600 feet. The vineyard is west facing on light, deep, well drained loam soils. The vines were planted in 2000 and are trained on cordon/VSP trellising.

Vintage

Spring came in gently and predictably. A cold February was followed by a dry, mild March. Bud break was in late April, right on time. May did not follow suit as hail on May 7 damaged some emerging shoots. Fortunately the damage was mostly cosmetic to only the base of the shoots as the clusters had not yet unfolded.

May was very dry as was June and July. This made for a good crop (excellent pollination conditions) with small berries (water stressed vines), but young vines were beginning to show signs of excessive water stress (stunted growth and yellowing basal leaves).

Veraison began in late July under ideal conditions: hot and dry. Color change was quick and uniform setting the stage for high quality. Mid-August presented a big shift with humid, wet nights and frequent quick, hard showers. This slowed the ripening process and elevated disease pressure. Ripening stalled and the waiting game began.

Late August and the first days of September gave us humid days and rainy nights, but eventually the skies cleared and a window of ideal weather allowed us to pick. Boisseau Viognier was harvested September 13, 2021.

Winemaking

Chilled grapes were sorted, crushed and pressed. The juice was splashed and settled Barrel fermented warm (70's F) in old, neutral French oak. No malolactic fermentation. Aged sur lie in barrel for 10 months. Bottled in August of 2022. 470 bottles produced. This wine will improve in the bottle for several years past vintage. Alcohol 13.4%.

Linden Vineyards / Our Wines / 2021 Vintage | 2021 Boisseau Viognier