Expressive nose of dried herbs. Crushed rose petals and tart red fruits. The palate is rich yet elegant, with concentrated red fruits and savoury notes faceted by vibrant acidity. Fine tannins and beautiful balance.
he 2019 Hardscrabble red is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc and Merlot for the rest, aged for 22 months in 70% new French oak. It comes in at 13.1% alcohol, which is actually a dip in what most in Virginia call a ripe vintage. However, owner Jim Law says they picked early to preserve freshness and the integrity of the terroir. Well, in many respects this gets it just right. The flavors are classic, old-school Bordeaux with lead and tobacco plus some herbs. Of course, I’ve seen some other Virginia flavor profiles this issue that I really liked. This isn’t the only one. Here, one distinction apart from the classic demeanor, is that there is also structure in a balanced whole. This has a firm finish, gripping and long. There’s a real backbone, even though the tannins are not too astringent. It’s precise, pointed and shows admirable mid-palate finesse. Here, it’s not really optional that this needs to be put away for a year or two to develop and come together. More might be helpful in allowing it to develop complexity. If I had a quibble, I still couldn’t help but wonder whether this might have done even better if it were even a little riper. Alas, there’s no way to taste both possible versions next to one another, so I will have to live with this one. Which is not such a terrible fate. It should improve over time and age well. Wines on the nervier side like this frequently do.
Linden Vineyards Hardscrabble Red 2019
