8/11/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

I think my first eight words were all the same, "wow!". Very content to sit and smell this for (ever?) several minutes; it's clear this is just winegrowing/winemaking on another level. Bright and energetic, this is classically built, with great weight and energy to the medium body. Deeply sapid, this wine just pulses with energy. Pomegranate, strawberries, limestone, soil, cherries, etc. Fantastic. You need at least a case. Plus magnums. Should continue to evolve for 15-20 years.
14,0% abv. [/b]highly recommended+[/b]

https://www.ItalianWine.blog

7/8/2017 - greenblanket Likes this wine:

Greenblanket finds this wine to be a skillfully made and happy merging of the old world with classic rhone-ish character (floral/herbal/mineral) melding with the bright clean fruit and refreshing acidity of the best Washington wines. And, if that is not enough, there is also the juxtaposition of fruit from one of Washington's OG wine growers blended with grapes from one of the NW's nouveau sites. In short, everything this effete old teletubby needs in wine - geek factor combined with pure delicious refreshment while sitting beside the big lake on a blazing hot afternoon.

12/3/2016 - brooklynguy Likes this wine:

This is the finest bottle of Muscadet I've ever had. The aromas are wild and complex with preserved lemon and savory herbs and black licorice and smoky minerals - absolutely pungent and fascinating and alluring. Palate is balanced and fresh, and shows a complexity that is equal to the nose, and the citric and saline and mineral finish just goes on and on. Wonderful wine, by any measure.

3/9/2014 - greenblanket Likes this wine:

Just great at this point - fresh and full with a complex set of dark fruit and savory flavors. Lots of tannin still in play. Greenblanket had this and another wine set up to go with roast chicken but his pals screwed that plan by raiding his liquor cabinet turning his well planned evening into Chicken and Whiskey Night. Oh well, at least he gets to follow two nice Beaujolais over several days.

2/14/2014 - NO SPIT Likes this wine:

The mourvedre is in complete command of this ship. On the opposite side of the more popular grenache dominated Southern Rhone blends. This is all about the "Big" action....Boss.

3/27/2013 - greenblanket Likes this wine:

Square in the middle of Greenblanket's wheelhouse and nicely approachable already with pure red fruit, soil, gravel and some green notes that are awfully reminiscent of the young nettles that are in season right now. It cries out for rabbit rillette.

10/18/2012 - Pknut wrote:

Really very nice, but needs a few more years. Shows darker Grenache fruits like plum and dark cherry, along with licorice and light nori that is typical in Vieux Tele but not yet the peat/iodine that often emerges in VT with time. The tannins are nicely proportioned and are integrating well with the fruit. The wine comes across as direct, smooth on the sides, approachable, but still primary-fruited and somewhat compact. This should fill out nicely as the structure softens. Also, the alcohol is nicely in check, which isn't surprising given the producer, but I opened the 2006 Charbonniere Mourre Perdrix earlier this week and the surprising 15.5% alcohol in that wine was noticeable. No degradation over night, the wine seems even more direct and pure. I like the restraint in this wine, and I look forward to trying it again in a few years.

4/10/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote:

14.5% alcohol. Medium - light ruby red. This wine (a major flirt) is already expressing herself. Attractive floral and spice aromas. Wonderful rasberries, cherries and other red-fruit delights on the palate. Great balance. Elegant. Lingering aftertaste.

I tasted this at the winery today with Fred and Ed (Fred's Dad), and am getting better acquained at home. OMV has been my Scherrer zin of choice for many years, but it occured to me that Shale Terrace expresses the distinctive, feminine, red-fruit "Scherrer essence" perhaps even better than the OMV. This is an exceptional wine and a fabulous value. The '08 is a very fine rendition!

4/8/2010 - greenblanket Likes this wine:

The Scherrer delivery arrived today and we dove right in. This was on the medium light side when first opened and it gained depth and bouquet for several hours. At its peak it was giving fruit and florals and spice and sun warmed stones from the bouquet through the finish and was a nice flavor and textural match for grilled skirt steaks. Things closed up as time progressed beyond two hours. Fred says this one is worth waiting a few years on and if you can't trust Fred who can you trust?

2/12/2010 - greenblanket wrote:

Young. (duh) It took several hours for this to open up and start showing some aromatics and even then things were pretty much wrapped tight with glimpses of violets, spice, cherries, and dark herbs. The star here is the superb texture, balance and length of the palate. The acidity in particular is refreshing but somehow caressing and long. The rest of my bottles will sleep for a long time.

4/6/2010 - greenblanket wrote:

While there's beautiful dark ripe fruit and nice texture here it's gotten to the point at three plus years beyond vintage that we need to be realistic about the alcohol in this wine; it is 15.9%. I probably admire this winemaker as much as anyone but he's a winemaker not an alchemist, Jim, and there is no way for this teletubby to ignore 15.9%.

3/12/2010 - tarheel17 wrote:

minerals, meet strawberry. strawberry, meet minerals. now have a blast, you two, locked up in this bottle, and try not to fight too much amongst yourselves OK? You're both equally delicious, I assure you.

1/18/2010 - greenblanket wrote:

A Costco buy and a good one if you like your Bordeaux modern and polished. Actually, even though the devil had a hand in the making of this wine I can't hate on it too much because it has a lovely Margaux nose and a nicely textured and complete palate. Excellent, but there's a lot of wine out there for fifty dollars that interests me a lot more. I'm just sayin'.