Vintage Variation

Vintage refers to the weather influences during the growing season the year the grapes were harvested. That date on the bottle encapsulates a six-month saga beginning in April with bud break and ending on the autumn day the grapes are picked. The weather during that period impacts yields, quality and wine style.

Climate change has presented us with greater weather extremes. This has accelerated vintage variation, which we have certainly experienced in the past several years. While challenging for winegrowers, vintage variation makes for an interesting comparative tasting experience. Tasting the same wine, but from different vintages, will explain more than a thousand words.
 
This year we will be conducting more comparative tastings. Hot 2016, classic 2017, wet 2018; each has a story that we look forward to narrating. We’ll have new releases from all three vintages.
 
After our restorative break, Linden will re-open on Saturday, January 4. Along with a new upstairs tasting line-up, Cellar Tastings are back featuring several new releases and a couple of library selections. For those of you interested in exploring even more depth, you may want to consider Jim’s Evolution Seminars.

Linden Evolution Seminars 2020

Hardscrabble Vineyard:
A thirty-five year work in progress.

In April 1985 the first vines were planted in what was to become Hardscrabble Vineyard. Jim Law had been making wine and managing vineyards for others since 1980, but this was his baby.  The high elevation site was chosen because of its diversity of soils and slopes. This patchwork would at first frustrate, but eventually reward his efforts to reveal a terroir expression. 
 
The story of this evolution is best told in the glass. This is the theme of our seminars this winter. Jim Law will lead tastings and discussions of past, present and future (barrel samples) vintages of both Hardscrabble Reds and Chardonnays.
 
Sunday, January 12, 2020 | 12 noon and 2:30pm
Sunday, January 26, 2020 | 12 noon and 2:30pm
Sunday, February 2, 2020 | 12 noon and 2:30pm

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Update: December 2019