SCHERRER WINERY AT BAR PARISETTE: A CENTURY OF SCHERRER GRAPES IN CHICAGO
- Damien Casten
- Nov 13, 2025
- 16 min read
November 13, 2025 at Bar ParisetteChef Madalyn Durrant | Wine Director Matt Sussman
Written by Damien Casten, Candid Wines
A Full Circle Journey
Tonight continues a 100-year relationship.
During Prohibition (1920-1933), the Scherrer family shipped Zinfandel and Alicante Bouschet grapes by railroad from Alexander Valley to home winemakers in Chicago and tonight we will enjoy the fruit of those very sames vines, now 113 years old!
Ed Scherrer, Fred's father, explains in oral history interviews: "A person could legally make 200 gallons of wine without needing permission. A lot of grapes raised in this area were shipped in small boxes to Chicago and New York. They were sold to Italian immigrants and other Europeans who made their own wine at home."
The Alicante Bouschet (still present among the old vines) was chosen specifically for thick skins that could withstand the rail journey east. Those grapes traveled in wooden lug boxes (16 inches by 23-24 inches, holding 35-40 pounds), loaded onto horse-drawn wagons, then transferred to railroad cars.
The Scherrer family never ripped out their vines. While other vineyards changed crops, the Scherrers found legal markets shipping fresh grapes for home winemaking. When Prohibition ended and law enforcement tightened, that cash market disappeared. The family survived by planting prunes alongside grapes, a diversification that lasted until the 1970s when Sonoma County's premium wine industry emerged.
One hundred years later, these wines travel by truck instead of rail, but they're returning to Chicago with the same family's name on the label.
A Note of Gratitude
Matt Sussman has been a kindred spirit since opening Table, Donkey and Stick in Logan Square, a restaurant built on the same principles that guide Candid Wines: in-house butchery, scratch baking, and deep respect for the people who grow our food and make our wine.
Matt's "Terroir Tuesday" at Table, Donkey and Stick has become a Chicago institution for older wines at accessible prices. We're honored that he and Chef Madalyn Durrant have invited us to share these stories at Bar Parisette.
As Michael Nagrant wrote in his 2020 profile of Matt: "I'm really focused on building restaurants rooted in the community, and not on things that are strictly economic opportunities for maximum profit." That ethos (placing craft and community above transaction) perfectly captures why tonight's wines belong on this table.
Tonight's Wines: Seven Expressions of Four Generations
2005 Bliss Vineyard Syrah (Matt's Personal Bottle)
The Unlikely Site, The Last Vintage
This is the wine Fred described in conversations with Fred: "Had it a year ago. Gorgeous. Getting couple decades in bottle so has some bottle bouquet but still has wonderful perfumes that are really stable. Not ersatz and temporary smell. It's the real stuff."
The Bliss Vineyard story begins with Don Bliss. Fleet Surgeon of the Pacific Fleet when he retired in 1992, a doctor of internal medicine and "super smart guy." Don and Fred were very good friends in the 1990s. They wanted to plant mostly Pinot Noir but both loved Syrah and rosé. The section they chose was "a waterlogged area or potentially flooding part of vineyard" near Laguna, not far from Santa Rosa.
Their philosophy: "Let's put Syrah there. If it doesn't make it for red we'll make some rosé."
The Clone Mystery: The planting material came from John Caldwell, a Napa Valley viticulturist who was "on the vanguard of bringing in different rootstocks and clones" in the early 1990s. Caldwell was "like interviewing for a job before he would sell cuttings. Wanted to know everything about what Fred was going to do."
The alleged clone was 3174, but the descriptions were opposite of what appeared. Don Bliss, being a scientist, didn't believe it. They decided to call them "large berry and small berry so we know which one we're talking about. Not perpetuating mistake or misnomer."
The Crucial Discovery (2004-2005): While the small berry clone was superior on its own, blending them created "a much more complete wine and much more compelling." This led Fred to a profound insight about co-fermentation: "All of the winemaking choices are wedded to the fact that you've already got the blend. You've got the two things together."
The Tank Name: One of Fred's fermentation tanks was named "Sasha" by Don Bliss with no explanation ever given. That tank "always made 'pretty' wines." When Syrah from Bliss showed "relative delicacy and red fruits" in 2007, Fred started using the name "Sasha" for his prettier Syrah expressions.
Linmar Winery purchased the property in 2004 and pulled out the Syrah despite Fred offering to buy the fruit. Fred's last vintage from Bliss was 2005, the wine Matt is pouring tonight.
Fred's reflection: "I really miss that vineyard because it's got some beautiful characters to it even though it's in an unlikely spot."
At 20 years old: This wine represents everything Fred believes about extended aging and minimal intervention. The co-fermentation of the "large berry and small berry" clones. The "pretty" style the Sasha tank always produced. The unlikely terroir that shouldn't work but creates beautiful characters.
Food Pairing: The wine's savory character and developed complexity will complement Chef Durrant's seasonal preparations. Think dishes with earthy elements, roasted vegetables, or preparations with umami depth.
2016 Sasha Syrah, Scherrer
"The Prettier Side of Syrah"
The name continues the Bliss legacy. Fred explains in his newsletter: "The name 'Sasha' came from one of our small fermentation tanks, all of which have names. Strikingly, the one named 'Sasha' always seemed to make delicate, pretty wines. Back in 2007 when that fermenter had Syrah with such relative delicacy and red fruits (especially for a variety known for darker tones and forcefulness), I had to keep it separate and named it after the tank. We don't always make this, just when the material is right."
Style Positioning (in conversations with Fred): "Think of their personalities as akin to Côte Blonde vs Côte Brune in Côte-Rôtie. Sasha is the prettier, more feminine expression. The prettier, more herbal red-fruited side of Syrah."
The 2016 characteristics: "Red fruit, savory, pipe tobacco earthiness show from a freshly opened bottle. With air in the glass high-toned rose petal and hints of honeysuckle emerge. On day 2 it shows a well-knitted fabric with hints of fennel woven here and there not unlike 2009 'Sasha' developed."
Antonio Galloni (91 points): "The 2016 Syrah Sasha is bold, luscious and wonderfully inviting. Readers will find a Syrah endowed with sumptuous fruit that retains the classic Scherrer feel. Racy and immediate, the Sasha will likely offer its best drinking over the next few years."
Fred's Barrel Philosophy: "While many producers are successful employing a fair bit of new oak with Rhône varieties, I have found that it is both unnecessary and unwanted for the material I have worked with. I also prefer the larger format barrels of 92 and 132 gallon vs. the typical 60 gallon barrel."
Production: Only 117 cases.
Food Pairing: Fred notes it's "as much at home with steak as with duck or portobello mushrooms. This is just plain satisfying and celebrates some of the prettier side of this wonderful variety."
2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Scherrer
"Our Main Pinot 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." He treats this wine "as though it were an estate bottling (if we had one!)"
The Burgundy Benchmark: Fred writes: "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 California Pinot mimicking Burgundy. It's Fred channeling the same principles of perfume, structure, and elegance that made that Leroy wine unforgettable.
The Goldridge Signature: This wine comes primarily from sandy Goldridge soils along the Highway 116 corridor between Forestville and Sebastopol. Fred explains: "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."
The aromatics: "Besides the high-toned perfumes, fresh plum, Royal Ann cherry, sandalwood, freshly tilled loam greets the nose. There's also the orange peel signature of Goldridge soils. On the mouth it is lively, mouth-watering and invites another sip, especially when served at dinner."
Fred's food recommendation: "It is absolutely perfect with Salmon."
The 2016 Vintage: Antonio Galloni noted this might be "the best set of wines I have ever tasted from Fred Scherrer. The 2016 Pinots and Cabernets in particular are superb."
Production: 700 cases.
Food at Bar Parisette: Beyond salmon, this wine will work beautifully with duck, mushroom preparations, or Chef Durrant's seasonal vegetable dishes.
2018 Old & Mature Vines Zinfandel, Scherrer Vineyard
113-Year-Old Vines (1912-2025)
These vines tell the complete story. Planted by Fred's great-grandfather in 1912 on St. George rootstock ordered from France, they're among California's oldest continuously producing Zinfandel.
The Rootstock Journey: The rootstock arrived in barrels, packed in sawdust. Ed Scherrer remembers: "By the time they got here, a lot of them were dry. That's why it usually took two or three years to get a vineyard to grow. If you planted a thousand vines, it probably took three or four years to get 950 vines growing."
Today, 65-70% of those original vines still produce fruit. They were dry-farmed with horses. Fred's grandfather headed them very low to the ground in the traditional style (each arm growing out on the same plane).
The 2018 Vintage: Fred writes: "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."
Tasting notes: "Cassis, red cherry, cocoa, tobacco, dried herbs, incense. Bright entry, firm tannins, mouth-watering acidity, red fruit pop on finish. Classic old-school Cabernet. What Fred calls 'the comfortable, glorious middle.'"
Aging Strategy: Fred now recommends 10-20 years after vintage. After 30+ years making these wines, he has the data to support this. "Our Zinfandels are a bit latent, but after a few years in bottle, the perfumes really come out. Not only do they hold up well, but they benefit from time in the bottle."
Food Pairing: Tomato-based dishes, grilled pork, braised meats, anything with rosemary. Fred's extensive dinner table research confirms these work beautifully.
2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Scherrer
Ed's Best Decision, Andre's Influence
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 on the family property.
Why Cabernet? Ed loved Cabernet and believed it would thrive in their Alexander Valley location. He took advice from Robert Young (a cohort who grew up with Fred's dad): "Cabernet seems to be good. Had a clone, probably clone 7. Seems clean, easy to grow. Winemakers seem to like it."
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 on the 2018 Cab: "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.
The Radical Technique: Fred ages this Cabernet for nearly 4 years (45 months) in barrel without racking. This means 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 characteristics: "Black fruit, dried herbs, incense, tobacco, scorched earth, and leather. Bright, mouth-watering entry with firm structural tannins."
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 at Bar Parisette: Pairs beautifully with Chef Durrant's preparations. Think dishes with depth and structure that can stand up to firm tannins.
2019 Scherrer Vineyard Chardonnay
"We Need White Wine for Family Gatherings"
In conversations with Fred: Fred's father planted Chardonnay at the family vineyard in 1992 with a simple rationale. "We need white wine for family gatherings."
Fred started working with it in 1997, initially thinking he'd do "non-malolactic kind of thing." But he decided: "I'm learning about this stuff, so I'll just make it the way I want to drink it and see what happens."
The Learning Curve: The 2007 vintage "took an exceptionally long time to complete malolactic fermentation (usually a big plus with regard to integration and harmony). Bottled later than usual as a result."
The aromatics: "A haunting floral note on the front end like apple or plum blossoms and plays hide and seek with the fresh apple notes. There is a good balance of angles (acidity and tannin) and rounds (glycerol), great length and good salivary response on the finish which makes this so versatile with food."
Aging Potential: "These Chardonnays age really well and evolve rather than just get 'wrinkles.' I wish we had more bottles of past vintages in the library to show and sell. But word has gotten out that they evolve into something special so library wines have been fairly well cleaned out."
Philosophy: "In a time when far extremes of style seem to polarize the discussion of what is valid, ours is a refreshing alternative, somewhere in the happy middle ground."
Yields: About 1 ton per acre (extremely low by industry standards).
Production: 115 cases.
Food Pairing: Fred suggests "roast chicken, lobster and/or close friends." At Bar Parisette, try it with Chef Durrant's seasonal preparations that emphasize technique and simplicity.
NV Zinfandoodle, Scherrer
The Wine That Refuses to Take Itself Seriously
Every serious winemaker needs a wine that celebrates the joy of winemaking without the weight of vintage declarations and appellations. Zinfandoodle is Fred's.
It's a blend that changes with what's available (typically Zinfandel-based but incorporating whatever makes sense in a given year). The "NV" (non-vintage) designation frees Fred to blend across vintages, creating a wine that's consistently delicious without being bound by single-vintage rules.
The name itself is playful, a wink at the seriousness of wine culture while delivering genuine quality. This is the wine Fred probably opens on a Tuesday night when he just wants something good without ceremony.
Why it matters tonight: After six serious wines with deep stories and decades of aging potential, Zinfandoodle reminds us that wine is also about joy, spontaneity, and not taking ourselves too seriously. It's the perfect closer, a toast to the full circle from Prohibition-era Chicago to this modern gathering, from survival to celebration.
The Grandfather's Signal: Fred's Education in Patience
In conversations with Fred, he shared a memory that explains where his patience for long aging came from:
Fred's grandfather was "a very quiet guy, very even-tempered, just very gentle and soft-spoken." He served as an unofficial veterinarian. "People would bring horses, leave with him for a week." He had "a very quiet way about himself, very profound understanding of things."
Fred learned to recognize a crucial signal: "When he would start a phrase with 'years ago,' Fred knew it was time to sit down and listen."
The transition from prunes to grapes in the 1970s was the grandfather's decision, and it "broke his heart because he loved those trees." But he understood the future. Fred's father "had the energy to throw himself at replanting."
That intergenerational wisdom (the grandfather's quiet understanding, the father's energy, and Fred's refinement) shows in every bottle tonight.
Why Bar Parisette Gets It
From Chicago Magazine's coverage: "Contrary to what you see on TV, chefs and restaurant folks can often be reluctant to brag about their success. So, when I ask chef Madalyn Durrant about how the first week at the newly opened Bar Parisette has gone, she demurs and says it's been going pretty well. GM Diana Benati immediately jumps in to correct the record: 'The first four days have been almost alarmingly good,' she says."
Chef Durrant's Approach: "My approach with these things, rather than 'elevating' them, is just to make what I want to eat." This mirrors Fred's winemaking philosophy exactly. Make what you want to drink, trust your instincts, and let the work speak for itself.
Matt's Wine Philosophy: Bar Parisette serves wine at retail plus a small percentage for service. As Matt told Chicago Magazine: "We've already had responses from people who are blown away by what they are getting for their money. Anyone can look things up on their phone; it's annoying to spend $80 on a bottle of wine that is $23 at retail. The hope is that people will recognize that."
The Table, Donkey and Stick Connection: Matt's flagship restaurant continues to champion in-house butchery, scratch baking, and the culinary traditions of the Alps. "Terroir Tuesday" offers some of Chicago's best opportunities to experience older wines at accessible prices (exactly the kind of education that helps people understand wines like tonight's 2005 Bliss Syrah).
A Personal Memory from Bucktown: When I lived in Bucktown, just around the corner from TDS, I would often walk to the restaurant with my young son to eat on the back patio. We'd order plates of cheeses and cured meats to see what was of interest to a two year old. It all was! I was always amazed by how foods made with love connected with a two-year-old boy who might be expected to skip anything so exotic.
Adventurous as he was, my son's favorite always were the latkes, made from a recipe that Matt's grandmother carried with her as she fled Eastern Europe and the Nazis. Matt has written eloquently about this heritage and the weight of preserving these recipes. Those latkes, fried potatoes carrying the memory of survival and displacement, remain a must-have any time we are near TDS today.
The Full Circle: Why Tonight Matters
The grapes that traveled by railroad from Alexander Valley to Chicago during Prohibition sustained the Scherrer family through 13 years when wine production was illegal.
The 1912 plantings on St. George rootstock, ordered from France in barrels packed with sawdust, now represent 113 years of continuous production (among the oldest in California).
The patient approach Fred learned from his grandfather (the signal of "years ago") led to extended barrel aging strategies that Andre Tchelistcheff would recognize and approve.
The unlikely Syrah from Don Bliss's waterlogged site taught Fred about co-fermentation and looking at the whole rather than the parts.
The "Sasha" tank that always made pretty wines gave its name to a style that celebrates the feminine, herbal, red-fruited side of Syrah.
The Russian River Valley Pinot that Fred treats like an estate wine shows what happens when you give every wine the attention it deserves.
The Chardonnay planted because "we need white wine for family gatherings" became a wine that "ages really well and evolves rather than just gets wrinkles."
And now, 100 years after those grapes traveled east by rail, we gather in Chicago to taste the results of four generations of patience, precision, and principle.
This is why we do this. This is why these wines matter. This is the full circle.
For Wine Professionals: Staff Training Notes
Story Accessibility: Every wine has a clear narrative:
2005 Bliss: The unlikely site, the clone mystery, the last vintage
2016 Sasha: The tank that always made pretty wines
2016 RRV Pinot: The Leroy benchmark, Goldridge signature
2018 Zin OMV: 113-year-old vines, Prohibition connection
2018 Cab: Ed's decision, Andre's influence, 45-month aging
2019 Scherrer Chard: "We need white wine for family gatherings"
NV Zinfandoodle: Joy without ceremony
Aging Conversation: The 2005 Bliss at 20 years shows Fred's extended aging philosophy works. Use this to educate about cellaring and why these wines cost what they do.
Common Guest Questions:
"Why is the 2005 Bliss so special?" "It's from Fred's last vintage at an unlikely vineyard site (a waterlogged area that shouldn't make great Syrah but somehow did). The co-fermentation of two clones whose descriptions were backwards created a wine that's been aging beautifully for 20 years. This is Matt's personal bottle."
"What's the deal with the 'Sasha' name?" "Fred's friend Don Bliss (a retired Fleet Surgeon) named a fermentation tank 'Sasha' with no explanation. That tank always made 'pretty' wines with delicate, red-fruited character. When Fred gets Syrah that shows that style, he uses the name to honor both the tank and his late friend."
"How do these wines age so well?" "Fred worked with Andre Tchelistcheff in the 1980s and learned that wines need extended time in barrel to develop the oxygen appetite that allows decades of bottle aging. Most producers rack wine from barrel to barrel; Fred doesn't. His Cabernet spends 45 months in barrel without ever being transferred. That patience pays off."
"Why does Fred make a wine called 'Zinfandoodle'?" "Even serious winemakers need a wine that celebrates joy without ceremony. It's Zinfandel-based, blended across vintages, and it's just plain delicious without taking itself too seriously. It's probably what Fred opens on a Tuesday night."
Tasting Notes Summary
2005 Bliss Vineyard Syrah (Matt's bottle, 20 years old)
Character: Bottle bouquet, stable perfumes, co-fermented "large and small berry"
Fred's assessment: "Gorgeous... not ersatz and temporary smell. It's the real stuff"
Rarity: Last vintage from this site, library selection
2016 Sasha Syrah (117 cases)
Nose: Red fruit, pipe tobacco, rose petal, honeysuckle, fennel (day 2)
Palate: Bold, luscious, sumptuous fruit, racy and immediate
Antonio Galloni: 91 points
Food: Steak, duck, portobello mushrooms
2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (700 cases)
Nose: Roses, fresh plum, Royal Ann cherry, sandalwood, orange peel
Palate: Lively, mouth-watering, Leroy Latricières-Chambertin benchmark
Food: "Absolutely perfect with Salmon"
2018 Old & Mature Vines Zinfandel (113-year-old vines)
Nose: Cassis, red cherry, cocoa, tobacco, dried herbs
Palate: Bright entry, firm tannins, mouth-watering acidity
Aging: 10-20 years recommended
Food: Tomato-based, grilled pork, rosemary dishes
2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Nose: Black fruit, dried herbs, incense, tobacco, scorched earth
Palate: Potent, savory, firm structural tannins
Antonio Galloni: 88 points
Aging: 45 months in barrel without racking
2019 Scherrer Vineyard Chardonnay (115 cases)
Nose: Floral (apple/plum blossoms), fresh apple
Palate: Balance of angles and rounds, great length, salivary finish
Philosophy: "Happy middle ground"
Food: Roast chicken, lobster, close friends
NV Zinfandoodle
Character: Zinfandel-based, multi-vintage blend
Philosophy: Joy without ceremony
Service: Flexible, spontaneous, delicious
Written by Damioen Casten, Candid Wines
Event Date: November 13, 2025
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]
Scherrer Winery newsletters (2007-2024)
Ed Scherrer oral history interviews (Video transcripts)
Fred Scherrer video interviews
Fred Scherrer phone interview with Damien Casten (November 13, 2025)
Antonio Galloni reviews (Vinous Media)
Chicago Magazine, "Bar Parisette Explores Modern French Cooking" (2024)
Michael Nagrant, "Are You Down With PPP? Yeah, You Know Me!" (May 20, 2020)
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?
Sources:
Scherrer Winery newsletters (2007-2024)
Ed Scherrer oral history interviews (Video transcripts)
Fred Scherrer video interviews
Fred Scherrer phone interview with Damien Casten (November 13, 2025)
Antonio Galloni reviews (Vinous Media)
Chicago Magazine, "Bar Parisette Explores Modern French Cooking" (2024)
Michael Nagrant, "Are You Down With PPP? Yeah, You Know Me!" (May 20, 2020)
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