The Last Cellar Tasting

Last week when we got our Linden Vineyards newsletter in our email, we read that the cellar tastings were ending this past weekend until the new year. We decided we had to attend the last one of the year. On Saturday we headed to Linden to participate in the last cellar tasting of the year.

We arrived just in time for the cellar tasting to begin. The tasting started with the 2016 and 2017 Avenius Sauvignon Blancs. While we enjoyed them both, Warren and I preferred the 2017. Warren jotted down grassy, petrol, boxwood, mineral/graphite and lemon lime notes. Perfect for the end of summer.

We then compared the 2015 Hardscrabble Chardonnay with the 2015 Boisseau Chardonnay. Both of these wines are beautiful and have their place with different types of meals. Warren and I split on our favorite here. We may have been thinking of foods when making our decisions. Warren preferred the 2015 Hardscrabble. He described it as lush with pear notes, lean mid palate, fruit and spice on the finish. I preferred the 2015 Boisseau for it’s toasted ripe pear notes with a more rounded mouth feel. I thought you could have this one with food or just as a sipper.

The final comparison was between the 2014 and 2015 Hardscrabble Reds. The blends are different with the 2014 being mostly Cab Sauv and the 2015 including a good bit of Cab Franc. Both Warren and I preferred the 2015 blend. Lots of cherry and spice with a more rounded mouth feel made Warren think of several dishes he could pair this with.

The cellar tasting ended with a taste of the 2012 Late Harvest Vidal. A delicious way to end the tasting. It’s aging well and can be enjoyed for many years into the future.

If you missed the last cellar tasting for the year, be sure to return to Linden in the new year when the cellar tastings begin again. And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

The sunflower garden at Linden Vineyards

Linden Vineyards

Every couple of months we have to return to Linden Vineyards to check in and see what’s on the tasting menu and the cellar tasting menu. We hadn’t visited since December. It was time. The recent snow storm (only one this season) left some pretty snow around to enhance the view.

During this tasting we tasted the 2015 Chardonnay, the 2015 Riesling Vidal, the 2015 Boisseau Viognier, the 2014 Claret and the 2013 Petit Verdot. We did however select the 2015 Chardonnay as a favorite. We noted floral notes, minerality and a slightly creamy ending. It would go beautifully with crab cakes or other light fish dishes. We also selected the 2014 Claret as a favorite. We noted bright fruit, cherry, tight tannins and a dusty note. You could enjoy this by itself or with some beef.

After our tasting we descended the stairs to the cellar to enjoy the wines on the menu for the cellar tasting. The day we were there we were comparing the 2014 and 2015 Boisseau Chardonnay, the 2013 Avenius Red and 2013 Hardscrabble Red and for the desert wines we compared the 2009 Late Harvest Vidal and the 2010 Late Harvest Petit Manseng. Of course they were all wonderful wines but we did select our favorites. Warren preferred the 2015 Boisseau Chardonny and I preferred the 2014. We both really enjoyed the 2013 Avenius Red and we both enjoyed the 2009 Late Harvest Vidal.

After both our tastings we retired to the enclosed deck to enjoy some lunch items and a bottle of the 2013 Avenius Red. While enjoy our wine and nibbles and the view, Jim Law stopped by and asked to join us. We absolutely agreed. Turns out he was also enjoying a glass of the 2013 Avenius Red. Great minds think alike! We enjoyed a great conversation with Jim about Linden wines, how things are going in the vineyards and wines in general. It’s always amazing getting time to talk with Jim. He’s such a fount of wine knowledge.

Before leaving we purchased several of our favorite wines and told Jim we’d return soon for another wonderful tasting. If you haven’t been to Linden Vineyards lately, it’s time to return. And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

Always A Favorite

We haven’t been on the wine trail since Columbus Day weekend! Yesterday we decided to go to Linden Vineyards. We’ve had a busy couple of weeks and we wanted to relax and enjoy some wonderful wines. As usual, Linden didn’t disappoint.
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As we drove up the driveway we saw Jim Law out in the vineyard he had just ripped up. He pulled out 20 to 30 year old Cabernet vines and plans to replace them in 2018 with new Cabernet vines. The vines that were ripped up and been grafted from Chardonnay vines. Some took, some didn’t. Over the years they had vines ripening before others in the same field. Jim made the decision to start over. This time he’ll plant them in a north/south orientation to take advantage of the sun. According to his newsletter and Jim himself, look for this vineyard to be in the bottle by 2022 or 2023.
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Upon entering the tasting room we saw Shari Avenius, always smiling and ready to talk wine. We were lucky enough to have her begin our tasting. But before the tasting began we signed up for the cellar tasting. This time it would be with Jim Law himself. On the tasting menu we tasted the 2015 Rose, 2015 Riesling Vidal, 2014 Claret, 2011 and 2013 Petit Verdots. Of course all the wines were wonderful but the 2014 Claret stood out to me. It was smooth and fruity and definitely a food friendly wine. It was my kind of red. Not too heavy and not too light. It was just right.
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After our tasting we joined Jim Law in the cellar. Here we tasted the 2015 Sauvignon Blanc compared to the 2015 Avenius Sauvignon Blanc, then the 2012 Hardscrabble Red compared to the 2013 Hardscrabble Red and finally the 2009 Late Harvest Vidal with the 2012 Late Harvest Petit Manseng. Warren and I actually came to the same conclusion on these. We both enjoyed the 2015 Avenues Sauvignon Blanc. We enjoyed the citrus (lemon-lime) and mineral notes. It was fresh and crisp! We both also enjoyed the 2012 Hardscrabble Red. We found it to be soft and fruity with bright berry notes. Jim described it as feminine and we agreed. We thought the 2013 needed a bit more time to enjoy. We finished the cellar tasting by agreeing the 2009 Late Harvest Vidal was the winner of the dessert wines.

We were so lucky to have Jim do our cellar tasting. We were the only ones at that tasting time so we had the opportunity to chat with him about all sorts of things. We always enjoy spending time with Jim. We suggested he come to DC and we’d take him out to dinner!
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After our cellar tasting we enjoyed a nibbles tray with a bottle of the 2012 Hardscrabble Red. Perfect pairing with the cheeses and meats on the tray. Of course we enjoyed the view as well! Linden Vineyards is definitely very high on our favorites list. We always have a great time and always enjoy the wonderful wines. If you haven’t been Linden Vineyards lately, it’s time to return. And when you do, tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!