Syrah 2009—A Beautiful Wine to Savor
Aptos resident Fred Scherrer is very involved in the wine business—both making it and marketing it, but it was a long path that led to that point. Scherrer so loved good wine and wanted to make it under his own label that he volunteered at Kathryn Kennedy Winery for two years, working with one of the best winemakers in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Marty Mathis. “Marty taught me to make wine and emphasized the key issues when doing so, and some common pitfalls to avoid,” says Scherrer.
From there, Mathis suggested that Scherrer gain more hands-on experience by working with Dan and Thérése Martin at Martin Ranch Winery in Gilroy, and he started making wines on a “custom crush basis” there. “They are both great winemakers,” Scherrer says of the Martins. “Dan and Thérése provided excellent support for my efforts, and let me do what I wanted with my wines.”
From gaining expertise in both making wine and selling it, Scherrer now works full time in the wine business overseeing national and international sales for Kathryn Kennedy Winery, Martin Ranch Winery and several other Santa Cruz Mountains wineries.
Many of Scherrer’s own label wines are made for export, too. All his wines are superbly made, but I particularly love his 2009 Syrah ($49), which is absolutely bursting at the seams with flavor. Crafted from 75 percent Syrah and 25 percent Nebbiolo, both these varietals are sourced from small artisan vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains area of Saratoga.
Scherrer’s wines can be found at Deluxe Foods of Aptos, Vinocruz, New Leaf Community Markets, Aquarius Restaurant, Carmel Mission Ranch Restaurant, Hollins House Restaurant, Fifi’s at Pacific Grove, Dio Deka in Los Gatos and many wine bars in the Monterey Bay area.
For more information, contact Frederick William Cellars at 415-999-5358. Email fr**********@fr*********************.com or visit frederickwilliamcellars.com.
Fall Farm Supper with Alice Waters
We are very blessed to have Alice Waters, chef, author and proprietor of the renowned restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, participate in a benefit for the Homeless Garden Project at Natural Bridges Farm on Oct. 13. The event includes an afternoon celebration supper along with some splendid locally produced wine, followed by an inspiring presentation by Waters, vice president of Slow Food International and founder of Edible Schoolyard Project. Top all this off with dessert and dancing and the whole experience promises to be a very memorable afternoon indeed. Participating chefs are Michael Clark of Michael’s on Main, Katherine Stern of La Posta, Santos Majano of Soif, and Alyssa Twelker, private chef. The event is 4:30-8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13 at Natural Bridges Farm on Shaffer Road and Delaware Avenue in Santa Cruz, Tickets are $200 and $300 for VIP tickets. Visit homelessgardenproject.com.
