2015 Scherrer Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Scherrer Vineyard’ Alexander Valley

VIN93 The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Scherrer Vineyard is laced with dark cherry, plum, chocolate, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice and smoke. Pliant and resonant in the glass, with terrific supporting structure, the 2015 Scherrer is a bit darker and more powerful than the straight Cabernet, but the two wines aren’t as differentiated as they can be, another signature of this freakish vintage.
Estate Notes: Cassis/currant, spices like a freshly baked oatmeal cookie where both nutmeg and allspice are used. It lays broadly and evenly on the palate with savory, earthy, red fruits, dark fruits and baking spices all taking turns. 160 cases produced.

This is a unique and exotic expression of Alexander Valley benchland Cabernet Sauvignon. It was aged in small French oak cooperage for about thirty months, with infrequent racking. Bottled without fining or filtration to respect the expression of the site, this 100% varietal wine enjoys both a youthful suppleness and the structure necessary for lengthy storage.
Our Cabernet Sauvignons are vinified with destemmed (but uncrushed) fruit in open-top vats — with manual punchdown during fermentation, and extended time on skins before pressing. They are racked very infrequently, necessitating extra time in barrel to fully develop before bottling. This takes nearly three years.  What I am finding is that this unconventional way of providing small amounts of oxygen to the wine while providing the opportunity for fermentative yeasts to give back to the grape what they removed while alive during fermentation creates a wonderful way to preserve more of the grape in its best forms for the long term.

This ‘breaking of rules’ is not done for its own sake.  It has been the synthesis of years of experience and observation with the material at hand and an honest review of past gestalts and their outcomes.  The goal is to move forward.  Always.