Scherrer

### History Fred Scherrer grew up farming the family property in Alexander Valley before pursuing winemaking professionally, spending years as a winemaker at other Sonoma operations before launching Scherrer Winery under his own label. The project has always been centered on the home vineyard, though the range has expanded to include fruit from other growers on the Sonoma Coast and elsewhere in the county. Production remains small and the operation family-run, without the backing of outside investors or a corporate parent. That independence has kept the lineup focused and the decision-making close to the cellar.

### Vineyards The Scherrer Vineyard in Alexander Valley is the anchor of the program. It includes blocks of old Zinfandel, some classified as "Old and Mature Vines," planted on benchland soils with a shale component that gives the Shale Terrace bottlings their name and a measurably different character from the broader vineyard blend. Alexander Valley runs warm by Sonoma standards, but the site has enough elevation and airflow to avoid the jammy overripeness that can plague inland Zinfandel. The Chardonnay also comes from this property. For Pinot Noir and Syrah-based rosé, Scherrer sources from cooler Sonoma Coast sites, including the Platt Vineyard, which sits in a part of the appellation subject to regular marine influence and fog. Specific farming certifications for the home vineyard are not widely documented in the public record.

### Winemaking Scherrer's Zinfandels are notable for restraint relative to Alexander Valley benchmarks. The wines are picked at moderate ripeness and show more structure and lift than the region's reputation might suggest. The Shale Terrace designation isolates a specific block that consistently produces a tighter, more mineral-edged wine than the Old and Mature Vines bottling, which leans on concentration from old wood rather than alcohol weight. Chardonnay is handled with enough oak to provide texture without obscuring the fruit, landing somewhere between the heavily wooded style of the 1990s and the reductive naturalist approach that followed. The Pinot Noirs track their source vineyards closely; the Platt bottling tends toward red fruit and savory notes consistent with cooler Coast sites. The dry rosé of Syrah is produced as a serious still wine rather than an afterthought, with the 2021 and 2021 versions showing consistent structure and dry finish. Fred Scherrer makes the wines himself, and the approach across the range prioritizes balance and drinkability at the table over scores at tasting.