THE SCHERRER WINERY AT VISTRO PRIME
- Damien Casten
- Nov 12
- 12 min read
Updated: Nov 13
A wine tasting journey through one of California's most historic family vineyards, featuring exceptional wines from Sonoma County's Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley.
A Note of Gratitude
Chef Paul Virant has been a friend and inspiration since the opening of his first restaurant, Vie. His unwavering commitment to local, sustainable, and delicious food represents everything we admire in hospitality. We're deeply honored that Paul has invited Candid Wines to share these stories at Vistro Prime, and grateful for his continued support of thoughtful, family-driven winemaking.
November 12, 2025: SCHERRER WINERY AT VISTRO PRIME
Great wine tells a story. On November 12th at Vistro Prime, we're pouring four exceptional wines from Scherrer Winery—each bottle representing over a century of family farming, four generations of dedication, and some of the most thoughtfully made wines in California.
What makes these wines special? Fred Scherrer learned from winemaking legend Andre Tchelistcheff, farms his family's vineyard that his great-grandfather purchased in 1899, and has spent over 20 years working with some of Sonoma's most exceptional vineyard sites.
The Wines We're Pouring on November 12th
2018 Scherrer Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
The Vistro Prime House Favorite | 450 cases produced
2016 Scherrer Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Antonio Galloni: 93 Points | 700 cases produced
2017 Scherrer Grenache, Kick Ranch Vineyard
Antonio Galloni: 90 Points | 115 cases produced
2014 Scherrer Chardonnay, Helfer Vineyard
Antonio Galloni: 91 Points | 117 cases produced
The Property: From Swiss Immigrant to Fourth Generation
1899: A Swiss Farmer's Dream
When Fred Scherrer's great-grandfather arrived from Switzerland in 1872, he was looking for something specific: land that reminded him of home. In 1899, he purchased 83 acres in Alexander Valley from a bank repossession—property that included historic barns built in 1853 by Cyrus Alexander himself, the valley's founder.
Why this land? He wanted hill country behind his house where he could "look on the hill and remind him of home." He could have bought any part of the 640-acre Spanish land grant at the same price per acre, but he chose this specific bench land with its mix of flat and hilly terrain.
What makes this remarkable: Four generations later, the same family still farms this exact land. Fred represents the fourth generation making wine from these soils.
The Resilience: Surviving Phylloxera
By 1908, phylloxera—the root louse that devastated California vineyards—had destroyed the original vines. Fred's grandfather (then in eighth grade) had to leave school to help save the family farm.
The replanting: In 1912, Fred's grandfather planted Zinfandel on St. George rootstock, vines that still produce fruit today. Those 113-year-old vines are among California's oldest producing Zinfandel.
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon: Ed's Vision, Andre's Influence
Ed Scherrer's Best Decision
In the late 1980s, Fred's father Ed made what Fred calls "one of his best decisions for both farming and winemaking reasons." He planted Cabernet Sauvignon for the first time, replacing Petite Sirah.
Why Cabernet? Ed loved Cabernet and believed it would thrive in their Alexander Valley location. The soil varies across the property—some sections have higher clay content on 140 Ruggieri rootstock (delivering red fruits and acidity), while others express the site more profoundly.
The result, 30+ years later: These vines produce some of the most age-worthy Cabernets in Sonoma County.
The Andre Tchelistcheff Connection
Fred's winemaking style was shaped by working directly with Andre Tchelistcheff, considered the "dean of California winemaking," at Fieldstone Winery in the mid-1980s. Fred regularly sat down with Tchelistcheff and the winemaker for tastings of their wines and benchmark wines from around the world.
Fred reflects: "Having worked at a winery where Andre Tchelistcheff consulted in the 1980's, I think this is the type of Cab that would have made his eyes sparkle."
This mentorship set Fred's "aesthetic thermostat" for classical-style Cabernet: balanced, nuanced, and age-worthy rather than bombastic.
What Makes This Wine Different
The radical technique: Fred ages this Cabernet for nearly 4 years (45 months) in barrel without racking—meaning he never transfers the wine from barrel to barrel during aging. This Burgundian approach is almost unheard of in California Cabernet production.
Why it matters: This preserves the wine's long-term oxygen appetite rather than squandering it through handling in open air. The result? Wines built to age for decades.
The 2018 vintage character:
Cassis, red cherry, cocoa, and hints of tobacco
Black fruit, dried herbs, incense, tobacco, scorched earth, and leather
Bright, mouth-watering entry with firm structural tannins
Classic old-school Cabernet—what Fred calls "the comfortable, glorious middle"
Fred's vintage notes: "2018 has proven to be an exceptional vintage in our area, from Chardonnay to Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2018 vintage has given us more acidity-driven wines than usual, making them texturally plush—an acidity-driven vintage not unlike what our 1992 Zinfandel vintage illustrated, a touchstone vintage that informed my choices over the following decades."
Antonio Galloni (88 points): "A potent, savory wine. Black fruit, dried herbs, incense, tobacco, scorched earth and leather add tons of character to this strapping Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon."
Food pairing at Vistro: Pairs beautifully with Vistro's dry-aged steaks, herb-crusted lamb, and braised short ribs.
The 2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: Fred's Flagship
"Our Main Pinot Noir Bottling"
Fred's perspective: "This is our main Pinot bottling and focus as far as the hierarchy of bottlings is concerned. It regularly outperforms more highly priced vineyard-designate bottlings in truly blind wine tastings."
The treatment: Fred treats this wine "as though it were an estate bottling (if we had one!)" It receives the same care, attention, and barrel quality as his single-vineyard bottlings.
This isn't just an entry-level offering—it's Fred's statement about what Russian River Valley Pinot Noir should taste like.
The Goldridge Soil Signature
The terroir story: This wine comes primarily from sandy Goldridge soils along the Highway 116 corridor between Forestville and Sebastopol. Goldridge soils are known for producing Pinot Noir with distinctive flavors: red fruits and orange peel.
Fred's technical explanation: "While grown primarily in the sandy Goldridge soil, which tends to produce Pinot Noir with flavors of red fruits and orange peel, this wine also illustrates some of the deep, brooding black cherry character generally found in the region's clay soils."
What you'll taste: The signature orange peel aromatics combined with depth and structure from clay influence—textbook Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.
The Burgundy Connection: A Leroy Benchmark
Fred's revelation: "I am absolutely in love with the perfumes of this wine that range from roses to what I recall in a young 1989 LeRoy Latricières-Chambertin (a real benchmark wine tasting experience I had in the early 1990's)."
This isn't a California wine mimicking Burgundy—it's Fred channeling the same principles of perfume, structure, and elegance that made that Leroy wine unforgettable.
The 2016 Vintage: Fred's Best Ever?
Antonio Galloni's assessment: "This might very well be the best set of wines I have ever tasted from Fred Scherrer. The 2016 Pinots and Cabernets in particular are superb."
Galloni's tasting note (93 points): "A gorgeous entry-level offering, the 2016 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) captures all the natural exuberance of the Russian River. Black cherry, cola, spice, lavender, licorice and cloves are all amped up in this boisterous, juicy Pinot. The presence of slightly mature notes makes the 2016 so rewarding to drink now."
The aromatics:
High-toned perfumes, fresh plum, Royal Ann cherry
Sandalwood, freshly tilled loam
Orange peel signature of Goldridge soils
Roses, lavender, and herbal notes
Fred's vintage notes: "2016 gave us another energetic vintage with many seedless berries that were harvested before they went 'over the top.' The great success with the 2015 vintage under these same conditions made it much easier for me to forge ahead with the higher level of seedless berries."
Food pairing at Vistro: Fred notes this wine is "absolutely perfect with Salmon." Try it with Vistro's Citrus and Soy Glazed Ora King Salmon, or the Lamb Chops.
The 2017 Grenache, Kick Ranch: Fred's Decade-Long Study
Learning a New Variety from Scratch
In 2011, Fred and his father Ed had a conversation over a bottle of Grenache. Ed mentioned that Grenache used to be grown extensively in Alexander Valley but fell out of favor because it wasn't considered a "sexy variety" and was relegated to unremarkable bulk red wines.
Fred's mission: He decided to "learn the grape" for several years before potentially planting it at the family vineyard. Dick Keenan's Kick Ranch in eastern Sonoma County (Rincon Valley) became his classroom.
The challenge: Kick Ranch is on "the cool edge of where Grenache can thrive." Fred's first vintage (2011) brought late fall rains, making it extremely difficult. But he learned about the variety's personality and its affinity for co-fermenting with Syrah and Zinfandel.
The Château Rayas Inspiration
Fred channels Château Rayas (one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape's most legendary estates) with his approach to Grenache—seeking delicacy, perfume, and ethereal character rather than power.
Fred's description of working with Grenache: "It's like witnessing a David Bowie concert: Often masculine but turning feminine at the last minute—it always surprises, amuses, and is satisfying in the end."
The Winemaking: Preserving Delicacy
The carbonic magic: Fred fully destems the grapes to minimize distracting stem tannins. However, his modified destemmer preserves a huge proportion of whole berries, allowing the wine to show carbonic maceration characteristics (those distinctively perfumed, spicy notes) without stem bitterness.
The aging: 32 months in older, 500L puncheons (larger format barrels). Fred discovered that new oak gets in the way of Grenache's delicate nuances, unlike Pinot Noir.
What the Wine Offers
The aromatics:
Dried cherry, sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, and crushed flowers
Beeswax, rose hips, maraschino cherry
Red rooibos tea
Surprisingly delicate bright acidity
Antonio Galloni (90 points): "A very pretty, perfumed wine. Dried cherry, sweet pipe tobacco, cedar and crushed flowers. The Grenache is quite ethereal and not especially varietal in 2017, but it is an attractive wine to drink now and over the next handful of years."
Fred's vintage notes: "This vintage of Kick Grenache channels some of that Rayas delicacy. Still exhibiting rather primary fruit, it is surprisingly delicate with bright acidity not unlike the Hallberg Pinot Noir."
The rarity: Only 115 cases produced. The block was replanted after 2019, making this one of the last vintages from this specific site.
Food pairing at Vistro: Fred did "extensive research at the dinner table" and found this wine pairs with tomato-based dishes, grilled pork, braised beef, and especially anything with rosemary. Try it with Vistro's lamb chops or herb-roasted chicken.
The 2014 Helfer Chardonnay: A 20-Year Partnership
The Helfer Family Connection
Fred has been working with Don and Patricia Helfer for over two decades (24+ years as of 2018). He describes being "grateful for the two dozen years of working with Don and Patricia Helfer and this tiny site" from "what I consider one of the prime Chardonnay neighborhoods of the Russian River Valley."
The location: Vine Hill in Russian River Valley—a tiny, special site that Fred considers among the best for Chardonnay in the entire appellation.
The continuity: The 2014 represents Fred's 18th vintage from this vineyard. This long-term relationship represents one of the most enduring partnerships in his winemaking career.
The Hyde Selection via Kistler
The Chardonnay at Helfer Vineyard is mostly Hyde selection obtained via Kistler—sourced through one of California's most prestigious Chardonnay producers. This isn't just any clone; it comes through one of the masters of the variety.
The Winemaking Evolution
Fred's journey: "After 14 vintages with this site and some changes in approach along the way, I feel I am getting a pretty good handle on how to work with this to optimize enjoyment over the longest time frame possible."
The breakthrough: "Allowing fermentations to occur without inoculating with yeast or bacteria has been key to an important change made just a few years ago."
The technique:
Slowly pressed and fermented in barrel with ambient (wild) yeast
Aged up to two years in about 40% new French oak
Long spontaneous malolactic conversion
Almost no stirring of the lees
The "Star Fruit" Signature
Fred's observation: "This is an impressive site for Chardonnay and regardless of whether we harvest on the earlier side or the later side of 'the window,' its core personality remains remarkably consistent. Star fruit, apple and pear is the fruit signature for Helfer."
This is extraordinary—the vineyard expresses itself clearly regardless of pick date, showing exceptional site quality and terroir strength.
The 2014 Vintage: Drought Concentration
Fred's vintage notes: "2014 was a drought vintage with unusual concentration of grape material. Being a drought winter vintage, it has great concentration due to smaller berries and thicker skins."
The aromatics:
Smoke, pastry, baked apple and pear
Star fruit signature
Hints of citrus and mild roasted oak influence
Antonio Galloni (91 points): "Smoke, pastry, baked apple and pear run through the 2014 Chardonnay Helfer Vineyard. There is good immediacy to the fruit, yet the 2014 remains medium in body and nicely lifted, with good Russian River intensity and silkiness to match its gracious personality."
Galloni also noted that "Scherrer's wines stand out for their soulful and very direct, unfussy expressions of site" and praised how well these wines age.
Current drinking (2025): At 11 years old, this wine is now showing beautiful tertiary development—honeyed notes, deeper complexity, and seamless integration.
The texture: "There is an incredible level of creaminess yet it still finishes on a salivary upward note."
Production: Only 117 cases. Yields are about 1 ton per acre—extremely low by industry standards.
Food pairing at Vistro: Fred suggests "roast chicken, lobster and/or close friends." Pair this with Vistro's butter-poached lobster, roasted chicken, or scallops.
Understanding the Scherrer Winemaking Philosophy
Minimal Intervention, Maximum Expression
Fred's approach can be summarized in three principles:
1. Let the vineyard speak "What is important to me in this wine is that it is true to the region, that it is compelling and that it has the legs to age into something beautiful and interesting."
2. Balance is everything "What keeps drawing me back to this bottling is the balance of elements: fruit, non-fruit, structure and generosity."
3. Time tells the truth All wines are aged longer than industry standard—often double or triple the typical time. Fred believes wines reveal their true character with patience.
The Technical Approach
Fermentation: Ambient (wild) yeast whenever possible—no commercial yeast inoculation Aging: Extended time in barrel (24-45 months depending on variety) Racking: Minimal to none—preserving the wine's oxygen appetite Oak: Strategic use (40% new on average), but always in service of the fruit Filtration: Unfined and unfiltered whenever possible
Why These Techniques Matter
Ambient fermentation allows the vineyard's native yeasts to express terroir more clearly Extended aging develops complexity and integration that can't be rushed Minimal racking preserves the wine's ability to age for decades Light oak treatment lets the fruit and site characteristics shine through
Why Vistro Prime and Scherrer Are a Perfect Match
A Shared Commitment to Family, Craft, and Story
Chef Paul Virant's restaurants—from Vie to Vistro Prime—have always championed producers who represent something larger than themselves. The Scherrer family embodies everything Paul values:
Legacy: Four generations farming the same land since 1899
Craftsmanship: Learning from legends like Andre Tchelistcheff, then developing a unique voice
Integrity: Minimal intervention, extended aging, honest winemaking
Relationships: 20+ years with the Helfer family, decades of consistent partnerships Education: Fred's decade-long study of Grenache before releasing his first bottle
Why These Wines Belong at Vistro
These wines pair beautifully with Paul's cuisine because they're designed for the table. Fred doesn't make "trophy wines" meant for scores—he makes wines meant for food, conversation, and enjoyment.
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon has become a fixture on Vistro's list because it delivers consistent quality, food-friendly structure, and remarkable value for a wine built to age 20+ years.
The full lineup on November 12th shows the breadth of what one family vineyard and winemaker can achieve—from the power of Alexander Valley Cabernet to the delicacy of cool-climate Grenache, the perfume of Russian River Pinot Noir, and the richness of Chardonnay from one of Sonoma's best sites.
Tasting Notes Summary
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
Color: Deep ruby
Nose: Cassis, red cherry, cocoa, tobacco, dried herbs, incense
Palate: Bright entry, firm tannins, mouth-watering acidity, red fruit pop on finish
Food: Dry-aged ribeye, braised short ribs, herb-crusted lamb
Aging potential: 15-25 years
2016 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Color: Medium ruby
Nose: Black cherry, cola, spice, lavender, orange peel, roses
Palate: Boisterous, juicy, slightly mature notes, lively acidity
Food: Pan-seared salmon, duck breast, mushroom risotto
Aging potential: Drinking beautifully now, 5-10 years ahead
2017 Grenache, Kick Ranch Vineyard
Color: Light to medium ruby
Nose: Dried cherry, pipe tobacco, cedar, beeswax, rose hips
Palate: Ethereal, delicate, bright acidity, gently chewy tannins
Food: Lamb chops, herb-roasted chicken, tomato-based dishes
Aging potential: Drinking now, 3-7 years
2014 Chardonnay, Helfer Vineyard
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Smoke, pastry, baked apple, star fruit, brioche
Palate: Medium-bodied, lifted, creamy with salivary finish
Food: Butter-poached lobster, roasted chicken, scallops
Aging potential: Drinking beautifully now with tertiary development
For Wine Enthusiasts: Where to Learn More
Scherrer Winery Website: scherrerwinery.com Location: Sebastopol, California Founded: 1991 (Fred's first vintage under his own label) Production: 4,000-5,000 cases annually
Visit Vistro Prime Location: 18 E. First Street, Hinsdale, IL Website: vistroprime.com Reservations: Recommended
The Bottom Line
This November 12th tasting at Vistro Prime represents:
126 years of family farming (1899-2025)
4 generations on the same land
20+ years of Fred working with the Helfer family
10 years of Fred studying Grenache before releasing his first bottle
45 months in barrel for the Cabernet without racking
Less than 1,000 cases combined of these four wines
These aren't just wines—they're a living connection to California wine history, made by a family that has survived phylloxera, Prohibition, economic ups and downs, and four generations of challenges. They're still here, still farming the same land, still making wines that honor both tradition and innovation.
We're honored that Chef Paul Virant has invited us to share these stories at Vistro Prime.
Sources:
This content is based on 20 years of video interviews with Fred and Ed Scherrer, filmed from 2005-2025 by Damien Casten across locations from the Scherrers' Alexander Valley home to inside fermenting tanks. [4 Scherrer playlists listed here]
About Ask a Winemaker The Scherrer interviews are part of Ask a Winemaker, an educational video library founded by Damien Casten in 2008. With over 1 million views, 720+ videos, and interviews with 60+ producers worldwide, Ask a Winemaker provides wine professionals with direct access to winemaker expertise on technical decisions and vineyard practices.
About Candid Wines
Candid Wines imports and distributes wines from 50+ producers across five countries, focusing on estates where organic and biodynamic farming create both distinctive quality and environmental health. Founded in Chicago 20 years ago, we help restaurants and retailers sell wines that tell complete stories—connecting farming practices to flavor outcomes to ecosystem preservation. Our team has walked these vineyards, tasted from barrel, and built relationships that let us answer the questions sommeliers and wine enthusiasts actually ask: What makes this wine different? Who made it? Why does it matter?
About Vistro Prime
Chef Paul Virant's Hinsdale steakhouse celebrates locally sourced ingredients and artisan producers. Vistro Prime is located at 18 E. First Street, Hinsdale, IL. Visit vistroprime.com for reservations.
Written by Candid Wines
Event Date: November 12, 2025
Last Updated: November 12, 2025
Sources: Scherrer Winery newsletters, Antonio Galloni reviews (Vinous), Fred Scherrer video interviews, Ed Scherrer oral histories
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