Winemaker Fred Scherrer operates a tight ship at his 5000 cases winery in Sebastopol, California. He oversees every detail from sorting to bottling and depends on one or two smart, competent and hard working interns a season to help with harvest. In 2013, Jennifer Reichardt landed the job after working three previous harvests in Sonoma and in Chile. Ask a Winemaker sat down with both Jenn and Fred on location at the Scherrer Winery.
Author: Judi Scherrer
To plow or not to plow: Ed Scherrer on soil maintenance in a vineyard
Grape Grower Ed Scherrer talks about the decision to plow or not to plow in a vineyard based on eight decades of farming experience and the benefits of irrigating vs. dry farming grapes in California’s Alexander Valley. Ask a Winemaker spoke to Ed Scherrer on location at the Scherrer Vineyard at the start of harvest 2013.
What does botrytis look like?
Sonoma County did not see a lot of botrytis on Chardonnay during the 2013 harvest, but there was a little bit. Here, Fred Scherrer shows us what Botrytis looks like on a cluster of Chardonnay. Botrytis or “noble rot” affects wine grapes at harvest time and can add interesting flavors to dry and sweet wines.
Can grapes get a sunburn? Fred Scherrer shows us sunburnt Chardonnay.
Chardonnay at harvest time in California’s Russian River and Alexander Valley’s can vary from almost lime green in color to rich, golden yellow. Winemaker Fred Scherrer shows us clusters of ripe and sunburned Chardonnay from the Alexander Valley during the 2013 grape harvest.
Winemaking 101: Preparing for Harvest with Fred Scherrer
Preparations for a grape harvest in Sonoma, California at the Scherrer Winery include a lot of maintenance and cleaning. As romantic as the idea of winemaking is, the reality involves a lot of scut work. Fred sat down with Ask a Winemaker during the grape harvest in Sonoma in 2013.
Why do you whole cluster press Chardonnay grapes?
Winemaker shows how to make Chardonnay in California’s Russian River Valley. Included in this video are grapes at harvest, whole cluster’s of Chardonnay on the sorting table, and the bunches in the bladder press being gently pressed.
How do you make a blended wine from different vineyards?
Winemaker Fred Scherrer talks about the choices he makes when choosing to blend Pinot Noir from different vineyards in California’s Russian River Valley. He explores the role of clones and vineyard sites in detail. Fred makes wine at the Scherrer Winery in Sebastapol, California in the Russian River Valley.
How do winemakers find ripe grapes at harvest?
Winemaker Fred Scherrer explains the relationship between grape growers and winemakers in California. Fred makes wine at the Scherrer Winery in Sebastapol, California in the Russian River Valley.
What is a balanced wine? Fred Scherrer on Angles and Rounds.
Winemaker Fred Scherrer defines balance in wine and discusses acidity, tannin, sugar, alcohol and how they can interact to create balance in a wine.
How do you select a vineyard site?
Winemaker Fred Scherrer discuses the process by which he selects vineyards from which he makes wine in California’s Russian River Valley. Fred makes wine at the Scherrer Winery in Sebastapol, California in the Russian River Valley.