Winemaker's Notes
Last year, I wrote about the exciting 2015 Pinot Noirs just being bottled. This is the first of those. It seems all the wines from the 2015 vintage have great verve. While in 2014, they showed concentration due in part, by the drought-type winter the vines experienced-there is a polished sense of strength and control not unlike a well-trained, mature dog. In 2015, however, there is a sense of energy that may be more like a puppy – great potential and the promise that it will grow into its feet perfectly.
On a newly opened bottle, there is a toasty nuance that disappears with hours to days of air exposure (which I find fascinating and unexplained). It plays in between the lines of plummy fruit, loamy earthiness and higher toned floral notes. It is an amalgamation of most sites I work with in varying proportion to balance all the elements. With air exposure and food, the red tones really move to the forefront. In my mind it’s sort of a concert where Springsteen opens, Prince and Bowie follow, Annie Lennox joins, Aretha comes in as a special guest, and nobody leaves the stage between sets. Harmony, synergy and cooperation is what comes across from diverse elements here. I am extremely pleased with its trajectory and think it is a serious overachiever.
Judi Scherrer –
Vinous – May 2019
Fred Scherrer’s 2015 Pinot Noir (Sonoma County) is a pretty entry-level wine in this range. Sweet red cherry, dried flowers, mint, tobacco and dried herbs all lift from the glass. Medium in body, silky and approachable, the Sonoma County Pinot is absolutely delicious and a real joy to taste. 89 points. Antonio Galloni
Judi Scherrer –
Wine Spectator – September 2019
Broad-textured, with silky nuances to the floral-imbued flavors of cherry, plum and raspberry. The creamy finish is loaded with chocolate accents and luscious spiciness. 90 Points. Kim Marcus