Winemaker's Notes
2024 was a gentle, even growing season in the North Coast. It was pretty much a trouble-free year with average crop levels. Harvest conditions were about as ideal as one could ask for, with no significant heat or rain, and no logistical challenges This is a truly lovely vintage with great balance and energy as evidenced by the 2024 Rosé.
2024 Scherrer Vineyard ‘Shale Terrace’ Zinfandel Futures
Very little clay and lots of fractured shale in this small section of our vineyard planted in the early 1970’s yields a wine of particular delicacy and unique profile. The tide and flow of growth is different than the rest of the vineyard due to the different way water and other nutrients get to the plant: More of a generous supply upfront when growing earlier in the season and less generous later on. This affects berry size, tannin levels and flavors produced.
Stone fruit, cherry pie, perfumes of grape flowers in bloom (as one who has their face close to these things at bloom late May), an unusually suave texture all converge to make what is my favorite representation of this unique site at this stage of development.
As this is a small portion of the vineyard, there is never very much. We have honored peoples’ past support of this wine and give those that purchased Shale in the past (even just a bottle) ‘first crack’ and orders received by August 31 will be processed first in the order they are received while the futures allocation lasts. Those who have not bought Shale before may place an order which will be placed on the ‘wish list’. Those orders will be filled in the order they are received if there are still futures available after the first-crack August 31 deadline.
And if you are not on ‘first crack’ for this, do not fear. We also hold back a bit of the Shale from futures so we will have some available at release next April so those not in the ‘first-crack’ offering can have a few bottles. About 120 cases to be produced. Release price $42 /bottle. Futures price: $310 per case to be released April 2026
