Winemaker's Notes
2020 Scherrer Vineyard ‘Shale Terrace’ Zinfandel Futures
I’ll repeat what I wrote here last year for those who are new to us. This is a very small parcel on the family property where there is very little clay and the soil is more like fractured shale with a little silt. The Zin vines grow differently, and the wines are also very different. In 1996, the first vintage I vinified this area, I thought it would blend nicely with the Old and Mature vines growing in a soil containing more clay. This parcel was great alone but did not blend well. In the decades that followed, I have come to better understand the needs of this parcel and what it can become: This is a very unique Zinfandel that dresses up like Pinot Noir and actually looks pretty good that way.
Leaning into the somewhat earlier side of the window for harvesting has given us more high-toned perfume, cherries, plums and the lighter-colored stone fruits on the nose. This vintage has a ton of nectarine going on right now. On the palate, it settles into a more freshly tilled loam and gently heated grains thing with echoes of the stone fruit and a little sweet red beet. It seems to want to be a Pinot Noir, regardless of the vintage. The 2020 vintage was less than half of what we had in 2019 so futures will go quickly.
Because this has always been a limited production wine, there is usually not enough to go around. So, 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 6 will be processed first in the order they are received while supplies last. 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 futures still available after the first-crack August 6 deadline.
And not to fear, we also hold back a small 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 96 cases to be produced Release price $40 /bottle.