Newsletters for Scherrer Winery
This page showcases our winemaker, Fred Scherrer, as a place for his latest comments and news.
From the April, 2008 newsletter
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Well,
it's not just the Irish that are feeling lucky today. Looking at the strong
lineup of wines that are ready to offer at this time, we feel quite lucky,
indeed. It seems the high points of the last 4 vintages are captured here.
We have the warm 2004 vintage captured in a Cabernet Sauvignon,
the
precision
and verve of 2005 expressed in a Pinot Noir, the proper balance between
generosity and balance exhibited in our 2006 Zinfandels, and the youthful
promises made for 2007 made by our Dry Rosé. It is unusual for
a winery to offer new releases from so many vintages, but being a little
eccentric seems to be a common descriptor for our operation.
As you have probably noticed, we tend to adjust release dates of our wines according to their developmental needs rather than simply following an annual schedule. This re-shuffling of mailing list releases to match bottling schedules, shipping weather windows, etc. have yielded an embarrassment of riches with this release. It is the result of fine-tuning sources, advances in technique and better understanding the consequences of choices made during the growing season and vinification…probably a good dose of luck factors in as well. One of my favorite sayings is that 'it is better to be lucky than good.'
This
newsletter has gone out a little later than in the past because we are
now bottling later than in the earlier days, and I really want to see
the wine reassembled in tank before writing this. A sixteen-month year
would probably help. But unlike daylight savings time changes, it is not
likely. In the long run, the wines are better for more barrel time, which
is the ultimate goal. However, we must pay the price of having less time
to ship them out before warm weather sets in.
In the past year, we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback on
the label change. It was not simple or easy, and we continue to refine
it with some subtle changes to achieve the effect we are after - just
as with the winemaking. We appreciate all meaningful feedback.
Open House
Because of later bottling, coordination with other wineries' events, as well as the uncertainty of printing schedules for fine tuning the label, we will have our Spring open house later than our traditional first of April. We will be open the last two weekends of April. You may pick up any wines ordered now or from last August's Zinfandel futures offering at this event or we will schedule them for shipment.
New Releases
2006
Scherrer Vineyard 'Old & Mature Vines' Zinfandel
As
discussed earlier, this year I waited until bottling the wine to finish
writing this. It has exceeded my expectations. I am quite pleased at the
choices made at harvest allowing this wine to settle into its vintage-determined
balance, rather than some numerical stereotype. With its typical mixture
of blue, red and black fruits, it has uncommon depth and texture which
should satisfy die-hard Zin lovers. It has a mysterious side, and a mild
earthiness and structure that promises long life in the cellar. It offers
great satisfaction for Pinot Noir enthusiasts due, in part, to its balance
and flexibility with food. 920 cases produced.
$30 per bottle, 24 bottle limit. Half bottles ($16) and magnums ($64)
also available.
2006
Scherrer Vineyard 'Shale Terrace' Zinfandel
Essentially,
only a few more than those who bought this as futures will have the pleasure
of drinking it at home. I will pour it at the open house to economize
on your cellar and tease those who did not order it last August. That's
OK, there's plenty good Zinfandel available in this offering. There are
some bottles of 2003 and 2004 Shale Terrace lurking about the cellar that
are available as well. We've included those on the order form so that
we may satisfy that 'Shale jones.' Vertical selections might be a good
idea. 180 cases produced.
$26 per bottle , only a couple cases available beyond futures commitment.
2005
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
This is what many of you have been waiting for (with varying degrees of
patience). I believe this to be our finest Russian River Valley (RRV)
bottling to date. It is a synthesis of some fantastic, 'complete' fermentation
lots as well as some amazing, complimentary components from others. The
goal is to achieve something exciting, complex, harmonious, age worthy,
and compelling. It has its signature cherry cola and mysterious, fresh-loam
aromas and flavors yet has finally 'resolved' enough of its substantial
structure to allow us to perceive and enjoy the beginning of a long, happy
relationship with this wine. I feel satisfied that at this time anyone
who understands and loves Pinot Noir will find fulfillment in this wine
upon opening. I will attempt to evaluate this wine on as close to a daily
ritual as my better judgment will allow.
There
has been much hype over this vintage for Pinot Noir, so there is no need
to pile on unnecessarily. Let me simply add that the material from this
vintage was right down my alley stylistically. This wine and the previously
released Sonoma County Pinot Noir were recently reviewed in a flight of
9 wines of the same vintage by California Grapevine (Feb-Mar 2008). They
were the top two wines of the flight, most of which cost significantly
more. 750 cases produced.
$40 per bottle, $22 per half bottle, $85 per magnum.
2004
Scherrer Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Keeping with our mode of holding onto our wines longer than one would
expect, here is our 2004 Scherrer Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. As with
the previously offered Sonoma County and Alexander Valley Cabs, the very
warm vintage lead to very generous wine. Still very typical cassis and
hint of red fruit, this also has a mouth-watering cherry lifesaver note
on the finish, which really gives it a nice lift. Not sweet or cloying,
it is 'just right.' It should age quite well due to its appropriate concentration,
structure and balance, just like our other vintages. 200 cases produced
$45 per bottle, $25 per half bottle, $95 per magnum.
2007
Dry Rosé
As much as I love the 2006 vintage right now, this is my favorite right
from the bottling machine. It is blended from a similar proportion of
Pinot Noir and Zinfandel as the past few vintages, which seems to be the
'sweet spot' for this style of dry rosé. Bone dry with a bracing
acidity, it goes well with slightly bitter, salty foods like olives, pink
seafood (shrimp, crab, lobster), and tomato-based foods with Mediterranean
notes. The aroma of this wine that dripped onto the bottling machine smelled
like a mixture of watermelon, guava, and grapefruit. Folks have really
caught on to this wine, as there are precious few bottles of 2006 left
at this point…far earlier than I had intended. 224 cases were produced.
$14 per bottle.
2005
AND 2006 Scherrer Vineyard Special Cuvée Zinfandel
Once in awhile, when inspired, a special cuvée asks to be created.
We produced one in 1997 and in 1999. These are the result of continued
personal stylistic introspection as much as the nature of the vintages.
Based on my experience of making wine from this vineyard professionally every vintage since 1991 (and informal home winemaking dating from the mid-1970's), I have an impression of what best expresses this site and allows for a long ageing curve that allows us to enjoy this wine over 5 to 10 years…with food. Sometimes it is healthy to challenge that notion in order to either validate our current sense of aesthetics or to advance them.
I selected several extremely small lots from the old vineyard planted in 1912 that were both higher in sugar content and unusually 'expressive', fermenting and barreling them separately. Both vintages completed fermentation at over 16% alcohol. Normally, we do not flirt with even 15%. During blending trials for the 2005 and 2006 Old & Mature Vines (OMV) Zinfandels, I was quite prepared to blend them all away to the potential benefit to our OMV. Happily, for all, we found that keeping these separate made for more bottles of superior wine of both kinds. This is an experiment that may or may not continue according to the needs of the OMV. But I am proud of the results for the 'Special Cuvée' as well as the OMV. Only one barrel (24 cases) of 'Special Cuvée' in each vintage was produced. There is so little, and we think they should be viewed as a pair, we are offering them as a matched set. $80 per pair (2005 and 2006).
Recent Releases & Reflections
Wine Advocate issue #174 reviewed the 2002 Scherrer Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (sold out), and 2005 Scherrer Vineyard Chardonnay (sold out) quite highly. Burghound issue 28 also lavished great praise to all our 2004 Pinot Noirs. It is unusual and heartwarming to see critics with such different viewpoints agree on the quality of one's wines.
The recent 2007 vintage seemed to be like two vintages - an early, dry one and a late, wet one. The Pinot Noirs, Zinfandels and Chardonnays enjoyed the conditions that will make them very popular at an early age. The Cabernet Sauvignons saw more moderate, cooling weather that demanded patience in order to allow proper development. The Syrahs went from similar conditions as the Cabernet to making us wonder if some blocks and clones would make it at all. This demanded not only patience, but guts (and luck). If it was not for some heroic efforts on the part of growers this vintage, we would not feel as lucky as today.
I
appreciate the opportunity to provide you with wines from some really
nice vineyards in Sonoma County. While it is a lot of work -most of which
is could easily be labeled 'drudgery'- it is fairly easy to get up in
the morning each day to have another go at it. Without your support none
of this would be possible.
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