Winemaker's Notes
Keeping with our habit of holding onto our wines longer than one would expect, we are now just offering the 2005 Scherrer Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. As with the previously offered Sonoma County and Alexander Valley Cabs, the 2005 vintage lead to fairly structured Cabernet Sauvignons with a long future. While it enjoyed a substantial proportion of new French oak for barrel aging, the wine has absolutely devoured it. While its firm structural core portends long life, it is quite pleasurable to drink right now, revealing its wealth of black, red fruits, cassis and refreshing earthiness. I find it particularly hard to hold beyond day two when subjecting it to the usual open-bottle-on-the-counter challenge. It is like a black panther, muscles tightly coiled, waiting for the perfect moment to either pounce onto its prey or relax back in the bush. It won’t bite you, but it is sleek, muscular and stealthy at once. I think it is one of our finest Cabernet vintages and will reward long term cellaring.
Judi Scherrer –
Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar – May 2010
Vivid red. Expressive aromas of cassis, licorice, pipe tobacco and rose. There’s a restrained sweetness and alluring subtlety of the flavors of cassis, candied flowers, licorice and herbs. Seamless and broad but nicely delineated, finishes with very good clarity, silky tannins and lingering sweetness. 91 points. Josh Raynolds
Judi Scherrer –
Connoisseur’s Guide – April 2011
Just a bit austere and nervy for a Cabernet that is beginning to reach for the first stages of maturity, this wine does fill out a little with air but stays on the reserved side throughout. It is close to full-bodied in palate weight and comes with modest tannins that provide a bit of grip, but do not get in the way. Its evident acids firm it up at the back, and time may see it open up a bit more, but long-aging is not needed. One puff.
Judi Scherrer –
The Wine Advocate – April 2013
The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Scherrer Vineyard is quite beautiful. Freshly cut flowers, mint, dark red cherries, plums and graphite all burst from the glass. Rich, expressive and beautiful, the 2005 impresses for its considerable balance and class. This is one of the best Cabernet I have tasted from Scherrer. I very much like the persistence and sheer personality here. 93 points. Antonio Galloni