Alcohol: 13,5%
Grape(s): 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot
Localization: Virginia, USA
Tasting Notes: A very complex nose that encompasses dark fruit (blackberries, black raspberries, black currants), and balsam (cedar and cocoa), and herbs (thyme and basil).
The palate has brooding dark flavors, but a very restrained and harmonious texture with fresh acidity and dusty, lingering tannins.
Notes: Grapes were triple sorted, destemmed and lightly crushed. Fermented warm with gentle pump-overs early and then punch downs once the cap formed. Pressing took place after about 18 to 20 days, after dryness. The wine was aged for 12 months in older French oak barrels. Unfined. 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. 3,950 bottles were produced. Drink now through 2028.
Food pairing: This is a very food versatile wine. Bistro fare works well from Beef Burgundy to Cassoulet to mushroom risotto.
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.
