So far so good.
The first part of the growing season has been kind to us.
Chardonnay
Linden is known for Chardonnay. This is not by accident.
Jim Law shows why Linden Chardonnay is different.
July Seminar
Read MoreHens and Chicks
We are observing a first potential issue in Chardonnay. Some berries are not enlarging as they should, while others are normal
Read MoreDry Weather
The vines are green and growing, but the grass and cover crops are looking thirsty.
Read MoreEasy Spring
What a fabulous start to vintage 2023. Cool and very dry conditions have tempered vine growth to a very manageable pace.
Read MoreThe Lanternfly has arrived at Hardscrabble Vineyard
While working the vines we discovered these Spotted Lanternfly nymphs. The nymphs don’t do any damage to the vines. But the adults will suck sap from the succulent vine shoots. We expect to see them later this summer.
Read MoreThe Scent of a Vineyard
The vines are in bloom.
Packaging News
The decorative foil capsules on top of wine bottles serve no useful purpose.
Summer Sampler
Summer wines are by definition refreshing and vibrant. Here are Linden’s picks for this summer.
Read MoreBlooms
The first blooms have appeared in Chardonnay. The timing seems about average. Once 50% of the flowers have opened the date will be recorded and we can compare this year’s progress to past vintages. At this writing it is raining.
Read MoreFlush of Green
The transition from shoot thinning to shoot positioning and tying has begun. Our marathon of canopy management will continue until early July.
Read MoreTiming is Everything
This week’s cooler weather will slow vine growth. This is good for our work pace. We are now in the “timing is everything” mode in the vineyard.
This Month’s Tastings at the Winery
A focus on vintage variation: how the weather affects wine style.
Read MoreShoot Thinning: Green Work Begins
Wine is made in the vineyard. So what does that really mean?
Read MoreUnsettled Spring
Atypical is typical. Temperature swings of 50°F and drought to flash floods within a time span of a week is normal. This weather may inconvenience wardrobe selection, but winegrowers are much more focused on how the vines react. So far, they are taking things in stride.
Read MoreAged Chardonnays: Patience Rewards | April 30 only
It is no secret that Linden emulates the white wines of Burgundy. When grown on the proper site and handled sparingly in the cellar, the Chardonnay grape expresses terroir and ages with grace and resolve.
Read MoreEarly Spring
Right now spring is early, warm, and dry. Next week may be different.
Climate Change Trial Plantings
Linden Vineyards Wine Dinner at the Buttery
Read MoreClimate Trial Plantings
Today we are planting additional vines in Hardscrabble’s Climate Change Trial Vineyard. This will bring our total up to about two dozen different varieties.
Read MoreChardonnay Bud Break April 12, 2023
Unsurprisingly this warm weather has accelerated bud break. The 2023 vintage has precociously begun.
Read MoreWeather or Not
Last week’s summer was abruptly interrupted. For most of us the extremes are conversational or inconvenient. For farmers they can be disastrous. Winegrowers are farmers. The two weather events we worry most about are frost and hail. Both have been on the increase. In both cases, timing and severity can make or break the bounty of a vintage.
Read MoreOh Deer!
Deer have always been a problem to anyone trying to grow anything in these parts. Back in the early 1980s, the deer population was much smaller than it is today.