Jim Law, author of this 2012 vintage report, is the owner, or 'winegrower' as he styles himself, of the admired Linden Vineyards in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains 60 miles west of Washington DC.
His early exposure to all things gastronomic began in the family kitchen assisting a mother who loved to cook and a father who loved to explore and share wine. A vagabond student life in the 1970s studying in Northumberland in the far north of England and in Luxembourg reinforced his curiosity about food and drink. He was bitten by the farming bug as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Congo while teaching agriculture. With a love for both farming and wine, a career path was obvious.
Starting as a cellar rat in his native Ohio, Jim eventually found his way to Virginia in 1981 to become involved in many start-up wineries there. In 1983 he set his own viticultural roots on an abandoned hardscrabble farm that was to become Linden Vineyards.
The early pioneering days included cutting and splitting locust trees for vineyard posts and propagating vines from cuttings from neighbouring vineyards. While some of the original vineyards still exist, many have been removed as experience has taught important lessons about soil/vine relationships. Linden remains today Jim's sole focus. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc for whites and red Bordeaux variety blends are the main wines of the 4,000-case Linden Vineyards.
Jim writes about vines and wines for trade and consumer publications and wrote The Backyard Vintner, published in 2005.