Linden Library Tasting

We signed up back in early December for the Linden Library Tasting yesterday. I was excited to go back and revisit some old friends that I hadn't tasted in years and some wines that I have never tasted. As we made our way south to Linden on an unusually warm (upper 60s) day for January, I couldn't help but notice the blanket of clouds draped over the mountains to our east, looking like a giant had placed a layer of cotton batting right on top of the mountains. It was a cloud formation that I have never seen before, a very thin layer of clouds to the east of the mountains and just a little bit spilling over to the western side of the ridgeline.

Fog Bound at Linden Vineyards

Wisteria in the Fog

I wondered a little bit about the clouds as we were driving south on a sunny day, but not too much. As soon as we turned east and starting climbing up to get to the east side of the ridge where Linden is situated, I noticed the sunshine starting to fade. As we climbed, it became a gray and foggy day and when we got to the winery itself, it was socked in and despite the moderate temperatures, too damp and misty to sit outside. But the fog did lend itself to some interesting photo opportunities.

My Beautiful Wife!

We arrived at 2pm in advance of our 3pm tasting with the idea that we would have a glass of wine and lunch beforehand. We started with a glass of the library wine that Linden pours in the winter time. On offer this weekend was the 1999 Glen Manor red, a great opportunity to taste what Jeff's Hodder Hill might taste like in 10-15 years. The wine has gone from purple to red with a slight clear ring around it. The fruit is very much where it should be now with wisps of dried blackberry leaves and tea wrapping around a core of cherry fruit. The finish is starting to disintegrate now though with the layers of oak starting to separate from the fruit. Ten minutes in the glass helped the wine bloom and a little food helped bring the finish back into line. I told Ann that I could drink this wine every day and be very happy: it is a feminine and nuanced wine.

Bloomsbury from Caromont Farm: Outstanding

For lunch, Ann and I were both excited to see that Caromont Farm's Bloomsbury, a Chaource-like bloomed rind cow's milk cheese, is back on the cheese list at Linden. We both love this cheese! To go with the remainder of our cheese, summer sausage, and bread, we also ordered a glass of the 2009 Hardscrabble Red. I was surprised to see it on offer; didn't think it was going to be released this soon. Although it is young and tight, at this stage, I believe that this is the best wine that Jim has ever made. I'm going to tuck some away in the cellar: I believe this wine is going to be phenomenal in 15 years.

The Library Tasting Set Up

At 3pm, we headed into the tasting room with Jim and Barb who took seats at either end of the table, with four guests on either side of the table. Four whites and four reds were already poured. We started with the whites: Louis Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet 2006 as a reference point and the Hardscrabble Chardonnay Reserve 1997, the 2002, and the 2006. Jim introduced each of the wines in turn and we all discussed whatever came to mind and peppered Jim with questions.

I didn't take any notes at all; this being my day off, I simply wanted to enjoy the experience. But some quick notes from memory. Chassagne: oxidized nose and palate characteristic of Bourgogne Blanc, well balanced with plenty of acid, not fruit-driven; very typical. Reserve '97: tropical Botrytized nose of pineapple with a hint of mango, deep golden, very ripe and weighty; bigger fruit that I am used to from Linden, my least favorite. HSC '02: very pale, mineral nose reminding me of cement-fermented Chablis, very crisp seafood wine much in the Chablis mold with a touch more fruit. HSC '06: one of my all-time favorite friends, tropical nose and superb balance between fruit and acid. I would love to taste this wine in another couple or three years. Delightful!

For the reds, we were served a small charcuterie plate (pâté de campagne, lomo, and bresaola) to serve as a foil for the tannins. This excellent charcuterie comes from Derek at the Whole Ox in The Plains. At Jim's insistence, we all kept a bit of the pâté back to taste with the dessert wine.

Charcuterie from The Whole Ox

The red line up was: Château La Tour Carnet 2000, Red Reserve 1997, Red Reserve 2001, and Hardscrabble Red 2002. La Tour Carnet is not a wine with which I am familiar and it presented with a funky Bretty nose. The Brett didn't extend to the palate and I quite liked the focused berry fruit with a strong acid core. The '97 is a wine that I had asked Jim about earlier in the afternoon, because he gave us a bottle for our wedding and I was wondering how it has developed and when to drink it. Awesome to get to taste it in advance of opening our bottle! It is a beautiful wine and my favorite of the day and I don't think it is going to get any better. It leads with a Cab Franc profile and is a bit herbaceous with a touch of bell pepper. The 2001, largely Cabernet Sauvignon, is a bit more angular but also drinking nicely, though I don't think it is as complex as the 1997. The 2002 is still hanging in and would be a crowed-pleaser if crowds could taste it. At 100% Merlot, it is soft and supple, but simple.

We finished the day with a taste of 2002 Late Harvest Vidal that is just brilliant. I've tasted this wine several times over the last 10 years and it is really coming into its own with caramel and crème brûlée notes weaving in and out of the tropical fruit. The color is a darker shade now than I remember it on last tasting. I imagine this beauty will still improve for some time and will drink well long after I am gone.

Linden Vineyards

Yesterday, I had to deliver some cheesecakes to Linden Vineyards, so we made plans with Jen and Dewi to meet us there and taste some wine. Here you see my three co-conspirators.



Our first move was to taste the featured library wine, the 1998 Rush River Red. I wasn't aware that Jim had used grapes from the Rush River Vineyard in Washington, VA, until today, but then I really only started seriously drinking Linden wines in around 2000. This red is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Cabernet Franc and to me, the Franc seemed to dominate both the nose and palate. The wine still has good color and good fruit, but seems to be going the way of a southern Rhône, soft and sippable, wanting to wrap itself around a nice oxtail braise.

I've got to say that Linden always has my kind of lunch to go with a glass of beautiful wine. Here you see a bit of a baguette, so crisp and crunchy, that is just the perfect foil for wine and cheese. This outstanding bread is from the same company in north Jersey (formerly in NYC) that supplies all our bread at the restaurant. Outstanding.

Here's a photo of our feast featuring Virginia cheeses and summer sausage. Many of these same vendors supply us at the restaurant and it was Jim Law that turned me on to most of them. It is always great to taste Pat Elliot's great sheep cheeses. I would love to serve them at the restaurant, but as she and I have discussed several times, the price is just too dear.
After a glass each of the Rush River Red and the 2007 Hardscrabble Red, it was off to the cellar for the comparative tasting. I love the cellar tasting at Linden and it is well worth the price. There is nothing like trying two wines side-by-side to see the effect of vintage, terroir, or oak regime.
We started by tasting two 2009 Chardonnays side by side, Boisseau and Hardscrabble. The Boisseau is from Richard Boisseau's vineyard in Front Royal, on the west-facing hillside above the flea market on 522. Hardscrabble is the estate property on which the winery is built and it is largely east-facing and much higher/cooler than the Boisseau property.

And this site difference is easy to discern. The Boisseau has bigger, much more tropical fruit and much less acidity. The 2009 Hardscrabble is what we are serving in the restaurant right now and so I am very familiar with it and its crisp acidity ("sappy green apple" to quote Jim). You can see from the prices in the photo above how Jim values these wines. I agree. The Boisseau wine is interesting technically in that it is a good demonstration of hot site chard, but it is not my cup of tea. [During the cellar tasting, Ann and I met fellow blogger Jane from The Borrowed Abode; to the left in the picture.]

Next came two of my favorite reds right now. I've had both of these wines within the last two weeks, so there was no surprise in this pairing of 2006 versus 2007 Avenius Red, both of which come from Shari Avenius' property just to the north of the Hardscrabble property. Her exposure is more northerly and the site a bit higher than Hardscrabble and the wines that come from her property appeal to me because you can taste the minerality coming from the shale on that site. Today, these largely Petit Verdot blends are no contest for each other. The 2006 is at peak form and I find it to be beautifully balanced. I'm thinking it will not get better from here, though it will likely remain in form for a few years to come. In tasting the 2007, which as any student of Virginia vintages will tell you was the hottest and most intense vintage ever here, I found it still to be very fruit forward. I'm thinking another five years in bottle will not hurt this wine and I'm excited to see how it evolves as the fruit starts to drop off.

The third pairing was of dessert wines, the 2003 versus 2006 Late Harvest Vidal. I have tasted a lot of each of these wines but never together before. The 2003, which if you're a student of vintages you will know was the worst ever until 2011, is in perfect condition with its apricot/peach/pineapple nose blooming all over the cellar. The 2006 by contrast is still very closed and much less tropical in nature. Both were paired with a gorgonzola, lavender, and thyme savory cheesecake made by yours truly. These cheesecakes were the reason we were at Linden today. Despite the random snowflakes, it was a wonderful day with great food, great wines, and great friends.