Jim Law’s Law about Making Great Wine

Posted on by equipsblog

Jim Law, is the owner and winemaker, at Linden Winery in Linden, VA, outside of Front Royal.

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. From the website

Jim is one of the leaders of the Virginia wine industry. His strict adherence to the philosophy that great wine is made in the vineyard and not the cellar, means that his wines are the best they can be as is or blended, but not as they can be be played with. He strives for how that year’s vintage can best achieve its potential without insisting on a consistent taste like some other wineries.

Since he has farmed the same site(s) for almost 40 years, he knows which of his three sites produce the best types of wine. He has tweaked the types of grapes he has grown, the types of training used to guide and support the vines as they grow, and the clones from which the vines originate. He makes wine in the French Bordeaux style.

From the website:

All the grapes used for wines produced at Linden Vineyards are grown on three sites.

Hardscrabble Vineyard

Hardscrabble is the estate vineyard of twenty acres surrounding the winery building. It includes some of the original vines planted in 1985.

Avenius Vineyard

Avenius Vineyard is located just one mile north of the winery on a high ridge. This cool site was planted in 1996.

Boisseau Vineyard

Boisseau Vineyard is six miles west of the winery in the town of Front Royal. It is a warmer site situated on a west facing bluff overlooking the Shenandoah Valley.

Jim lives on the property and he has finally achieved his desire to keep the place ‘zen’ and low-key. Linden is open to adults (over 21) only and by reservation.

Published by equipsblog

Writer and oenophile in training

29 thoughts on “Jim Law’s Law about Making Great Wine”

  4. I like his philosophy that it all starts with the grapes. Good ingredients well treated is always better than tinkering with the wine or using additives during ferment. Happy Wednesday Pat. Allan

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Allan. I have found tinkering with the wine to achieve a consistent taste may be more of a California thing, but that is opinion and not based upon evidence. Happy Wednesday to you too.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Another interesting post on wines, Pat. I love the name of Jim Law’s 1st vineyard, Hardscrabble Vineyard. I would imagine at that time when he first started he got a lot of eyerolling from skepics who didn’t thoik grapes grown there would actually make good wine.

    I know the first vineyards for wine here in col Minnesota drew a lot of laughs until they tasted the wine.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for sharing that comment, Don. Hardscrabble was the type of farm that Jim bought for his vineyard. It is a term for a mountain farm with poor soil, so it was harder to grow enough crops to make a comfortable living. Germany and Canada show that you can grow great wines in colder climates.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I am afraid my wine knowledge consisted o the three types o wine Grandpa made, wheat, rhubarb, and dandelion. I don’t think they were fit for a wine taster’s pallet, but boy, did they have a kick.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. I have heard of dandelion wine. Not sure If I have tasted it or not. I usually prefer grape wines (of almost any sort). Apple or peach wine can be tolerable is well made. Tried some fruit wines in Key West, they were good there but the tropical vibe did not work as well once we got the wines homes. They ended up being poured down the drain, as did our attempts after purchasing PA and WV wines.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Believe me Grandpa’s wines should have been poured down the drain.
            Never forget the time he fed the fermented mash to my horse. The horse took off, stood on top of a high hill and I could’t get near him until he sobered up days later.

            Liked by 1 person

  6. An interesting post, Pat! Jim’s knowledge and experience speak in his products!
    I had invested some money in a wine company, which gives good returns.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Looks a cool place to hang out and appreciate the art and science of winemaking. Love the zen ideal. I wonder if he’d let you sit and meditate for a while amongst the vines with a little glass.

    Liked by 1 person

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