Linden Vineyards, Virginia (United States) Chardonnay 2017

 In Burgundian terms, the word “Village” generally denotes a wine cobbled together from multiple sites rather than a single vineyard of Premier or Grand Cru stature, so the use of the term on the label of this wine gives it a sense of modesty that could be misleading in relation to its high quality.  It is indeed a blend of 80% from the estate Hardscrabble Vineyard plus 15% from Boisseau and 5% from Avenius, but it sure doesn’t taste like a wine thrown together from “table scraps.”  It is fresh (no malolactic fermentation) and notably “primary” (fruit flavors at the fore, with no new wood utilized) but also interestingly complex, thanks to a very good growing season and the variegated aromas and flavors contributed by the three sites.  The balance of fruit and acidity is just right, making for a very versatile wine that could be sipped solo with great pleasure or paired with a wide range of dishes.