Winemaker's Notes
This is the 12th vintage that I have worked with this vineyard. On the first day, this is more a wine of the earth than of the sky. It is latently fruit-driven since the savory/earthy facets drive the bus at first opening. There’s white pepper, slight hints of mincemeat, beguiling interplays between these fruit and non-fruit elements. Then things change. Day 2: The awesome interplay continues with the addition of iodine, a trace of patchouli, fleeting floral perfumes, freshly tilled loam and great continuity of where it lays on the palate on its way to an urgent but politely persistent way. Day 3: White pepper emerges again, rose hips and a trace of pipe tobacco like my dad used when I was a kid. It smelled better before it was lit. By the way, those who met my dad would probably not be surprised that when he decided to quit smoking, he just stopped. End of discussion.
A number of years ago I was invited to participate in a wine dinner to raise funds with a Chicago radio station WBEZ. My distributor there donated three vintages of DRC Grands-Exchezeaux to also pour for the dinner. After tasting the wines, I was the first person asked to comment on them. I simply said that I felt fortunate to witness the DRC gods in their mortal form. That emotion is how I see this wine taking its shape. It is one of the most interest-provoking vintages from this site for me ever. Its great texture envelops its substantial structural core. I am grateful to work with this site.
Judi Scherrer –
Vinous – August 2022
The 2018 Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard is the best wine I have ever tasted from Fred Scherrer. It possesses tremendous fruit intensity, depth, and structure, all in a style that captures the natural inner sweetness of this site, but married with Scherrer’s old-school style. Succulent black cherry, plum, lavender, menthol and spice are all front and center. What a wine! 96 points Antonio Galloni