Alcohol: 14.2%
Grape(s): 70% Petit Manseng, 30% Vidal Blanc
Localization: Virginia, USA
Tasting Notes: This wine shows the classic Petit Manseng tropical and exotic aroma and flavor profiles: pungent pineapple, dried apricot, and guava. Vidal tones down the acidity and give spice and richness to the mid-palate.
Notes: The grapes are frozen and pressed while frozen. Only the first thawed juice is used (AKA ice-wine). The wine fermented slowly in old French oak and was stopped by chilling (putting the barrels outside in February) to retain fruit and sweetness. This wine will become more honeyed and spicier with age. Residual sugar is 107 grams per liter (10.7%).
Food pairing: Salty gathering appetizers. Rich, decadent main courses such as foie gras or desserts that feature fruits, especially apricots, peaches, pears or dried fruits. Very ripe triple cream cheeses and sheep cheeses from the Pyrenees and Virginia.
The Domain: One of Virginia’s premier wineries, Linden Vineyards is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, 60 miles west of Washington DC. The entire wine production of 4,000 cases comes exclusively from three distinct vineyard sites. Linden is best known for single vineyard bottlings of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Bordeaux variety red blends.
The land that was to become Linden Vineyards was a long-abandoned apple orchard. Jim Law and his family purchased the 76 acres in 1983 after several years of looking for vineyard land with high elevations and east facing slopes. After clearing trees, they planted the first eight acres in 1985. The original vines were mostly grafted and propagated in-house from budwood obtained from the few local vineyards in the surrounding area. The first planting consisted of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Vidal, and Seyval. Heirloom apples and blueberries were also planted for a pick-your-own operation that was eventually phased out in the early 2000s. The winery building was finished in time for the harvest of 1987, Linden’s first commercial vintage.
Grapes harvested from Hardscrabble Vineyard, Fauquier County, on top of the Blue Ridge at an elevation of 1300 feet. The Late Harvest blocks are planted on a northeastern slope. Deep, well-drained granitic soils. Petit Manseng was planted in 2002. The Vidal block dedicated to Late Harvest is on a rocky slope and was planted in 1985.
