Summer 2025 has come to a close, and I honored the change of seasons with a visit to Linden Vineyards this past Friday.  I then volunteered to harvest Cabernet Sauvignon the next day at Gray Ghost Vineyards.

Friday proved to be a glorious, last hurrah for summer with temperatures in the 80s, but humidities were comfortably low.  Bright sunshine guided my way to Linden where I enjoyed their latest vertical tasting.  The experience began with a welcome sample of the 2021 Wabi Saba, a fun blend which includes Vidal Blanc and Petit Manseng.  Jim Law recently pulled up his Vidal Blanc vines, so expect one more vintage of this unique blend with the Vidal Blanc grape.  Future releases of Wabi Sabi will continue but with a different blend.  Wabi Sabi segued to the comparative tastings of white wines.  The first vertical began with the 2021 Village Chardonnay and the 2017 Village Chardonnay.  (Readers may recall the Village Chardonnay is a blend of Chardonnay from the three Linden vineyard sites—Hardscrabble, Avenius, and Boisseau.) Vertical tastings are always a good way to experience how growing season variabilities such as moisture and temperatures play a role in the ultimate outcome, and these can be  factors in deciding how long to age wines.  2021 was a warm year with less precipitation, and this was reflected in the ’21 Village which offered aromas of apple and pear while suggesting a whiff of slate. Fresh crunchy apple peel was noted on the palate.  The elder 2017 Village, produced from a warmer-than-normal growing season with below normal rainfall, presented ripe apple notes and flavors with a lingering finish.  My favorite?  The 2021 to sip on its own, and the 2017 to shine with dinner featuring roasted poultry or pork.

https://www.octavtirziu.com/compare/

https://www.re-vitalise.co.uk/contact/ Next up were dueling Petit Manseng offerings; one represented the 2018 growing season; the other, from 2020.  Both were demi-sec, or moderately sweet. 2018 was noted for its rainy season thanks to a hurricane, and this vintage exhibited aromas of white blossoms and pineapple followed by tropical fruit flavors and bright acidity.  The 2020 Petit Manseng was produced from a typical Virginia growing season, and its fruit profile was similar to the older sibling but with a honeyed texture. This duo was a coin flip for me, but I finished the 2020 sample first.  I’ll give this one the nod.  A bonus comparison was an unexpected treat and showcased the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc from the Avenius and Hardscrabble sites.  The Avenius bottling exhibited tropical fruit aromas and flavors, salinity, and crisp acidity while the Hardscrabble offered citrus elements and subtle grassier notes most associated with Sauvignon Blanc.  My suggestions? Avenius with oysters, and Hardscrabble with gamier cheeses or white meats and fish finished with a twist of lemon.

https://10bestforwomen.com/pet-cockatiel/ The comparative tasting finished with two reds, the 2021 Claret and 2021 Avenius Red. Same vintage, different wines.  The Claret (Merlot 35%, Cabernet Franc 27%, Cabernet Sauvignon 23%, and Petit Verdot 15%) made a nice, juicy splash on the entry with fun cherry and seed berry flavors. I noted a “chew” on the finish.  Avenius was more bashful and needed a few generous swirls to reveal dark fruit and graphite on the nose.  My preference? Claret to drink now with a favorite comfort meal.  Keep Avenius on the wine rack for future enjoyment with something braised on a cold evening.

https://islamanswers.co.uk/aqeedah/ My summer wind down weekend ended with a harvesting experience at Gray Ghost Vineyards.  I’ve been a volunteer harvester at Gray Ghost for many years now, and it’s always a fun yet learning experience.  Managing a vineyard to yield excellent results is tough, demanding work.  Picking the fruit marks the end of the assignment  for the vines, but serious work continues on the crush pad and then in the tanks and barrels. I’m content to harvest and then sip the end results!

Buy Lyrica Without Prescription

I joined friends and other harvesters at 6:30 AM to snip this year’s crop of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Here is what a lug full of Cabernet Sauvignon looks like:

Buy Xanax Online Overnight Once harvesting was completed, harvesters joined winemakers Al and Cheryl Kellert for a toast to celebrate a successful day.

https://ontopdownunderreviews.com/about-kazza/

Order Soma Online I had conversations with both Jim Law of Linden Vineyards and Al Kellert about their impressions of the 2025 growing season. The words “relief” and “excited” aptly sum up their feelings.  Why relief? It was a roller coaster growing season ending with a safe landing.  June was wet and cool, while July was wet, hot, and humid.  And then the rain stopped, the humidity dropped, and August featured warm, arid days with no rainfall.  This reprieve lasted into September.  Once this turn of events occurred, ripening occurred at a more rapid yet even pace.  Therefore, both were excited about prospects for the 2025 vintage. Tasters will enjoy the efforts put forth by these talented winemakers in due time.

Fall has begun, harvest is winding down, and leaves will put on a glamorous pageant of colors as the air begins to chill.  Plan a visit to Linden and Gray Ghost Vineyards to enjoy this transition and to sample the latest releases.  Please mention Virginia Wine Time sent you.

https://www.amainstitute.com/contact-us/  

Order Tramadol Overnight