Hot off the delivery truck. 14.5% abv. Medium dark ruby. Zin spice highlights a moderately expressive nose. On the palate, black raspberry, cherry, bramble and spice. Excellent depth and length. Delivers that characteristic OMV lightness. Exceedingly distinctive, this the only wine I buy by the case (and I’ve been doing this for years). Drinks well now, but will improve for years. My challenge has always been to keep my hands off. One of the world’s great wine values!
Mike, sounds awesome. Gotta get my hands on one of these someday.
I started with the 2011, which I loved, then got a case of the 2012, which I thought (at least thus far) is just okay.
I went for a split case of OMV and Shale Terrace 2013; I’m optimistic that will be a great vintage for Scherrer. Thanks for the early Pobega.
Thanks for breaking the seal. I’m picking up my split case this weekend at storage. I usually try one of each, and then wait another 6 months for the next. I’ve also been keeping one of each vintage for aging, though Fred’s library offerings sort of make that moot.
I think Fred’s back in the groove with the '13. Interested in how others view OMV and the Shale. Often times I split the case between the two, this year I went straight OMV, no chaser!
The surprising thing is how well these age. Mine rarely get a chance to show that. I may pick up some library offerings.
Mike, I see you ascribe to the ‘nepenthean method’ of aging Zinfandel 
. Since you enjoy them young, I shouldn’t tell you to drink them older. But I will share my own observations because different kinds of vintages benefit from different consumption strategies.
Fuller, rounder more forward vintages show great right after bottling. RMP scores of 89-90 typically if/when reviewed. They may close down a little during the first year in bottle and open up gradually some time in the second year in the bottle. At about 5 years from the vintage they seem to be at a great balance between youthful fruit and relatively resolved structure. 5-10 years from the vintage, more interesting secondary bottle age aromas evolve as structure continues its relaxation. 10-20 years from the vintage, developmental changes are happening much more slowly. Fruitiness evolves into a dried-flowers/roses sense. At this stage, structural angularity depends upon the acidity level and vintages with some raisined berries begin showing more prominently. 1993, 1996, 1997 are like this. 2000 is probably the most prime example of that kind of vintage with 2010 a close second.
Skinnier, more restrained vintages can show alright right after bottling, but they seem to be a little recalcitrant without a couple of days of air. RMP scores of 84-86 typically if/when reviewed. They tend to close down significantly during the first year in bottle and open up somewhere late in the second year after bottling. At 5 years from the vintage they remain focused, and take on an energetic stance with red and blue fruits. They are the most salivary-evoking vintages and the most successful with a wide range of food at this stage. 5-10 years from the vintage are a lot like the fuller vintages with structural relaxation and the addition of layers of complexity but they also possess a free-floating silkiness that is hard to see earlier. 10-20 years from the vintage, these wines tend to be in a state of suspended animation. 1992, 1994 are prime data points for this. 2001 is on this track as is 2012 (which Jancis Robinson recently commented upon).
That 2013 you just killed is somewhere in between these scenarios. 2009 is very similar. 2011, despite being more elegant, never really closed down that hard. WS loved that vintage FWIW.
Sorry if it’s TMI. It’s an unusual style (FFAW-Food-Friendly-Age-Worthy) that is hard to fit into a binary mode of thinking.
Cheers,
F
Great juice to buy by the box. We enjoyed a OMV right off the truck.
Fred, have you had a 2008 recently?
BTW, I buy a case of futures every year. Some years I split and some years just OMV. BUT, the Shale Terrace is so good I am now going to split … As I did this year.
I have both back to 2006.
Steve,
You made me dig one out, since it has been quite a while. We had it last night. It is in ‘the zone’ right now. It’s got that mincemeat note from the higher-ripeness berry minority, but enough nerve to hold it all together. That vintage started out very tight: Its entire time in barrel, in fact. Then after a few years in bottle, it relaxed and suddenly opened up. You had me wondering if it relaxed too much.
Thanks for giving me an excuse to open one from a vintage that did not seem to fit into either of those pookas. It was a fuller-rounder one with big bones.
Fred
I missed delivery of my shipment yesterday due to an appointment but have FedEx primed to deliver it tomorrow. I hope to taste at the winery in late July or early August around the time of West of West Festival.
I opened up a 2012 Shale last night in anticipation of getting my 2013 split case this weekend, and it’s still too early for this wine, moreso than I remember prior Shale vintages being one year after release. The elements are buried in there for sure, and the aromatics were amazing after a few hours in the glass, but it’s still super tight.
Fred, I recall a post from you when the 2012s were released that the Shale shouldn’t be touched any time soon. I should have heeded that advice!
Marc,
I have teenagers and am accustomed to having advice ignored.
When that happens (the too early rather than the ignored), just put the cork back in and try a glass over the next couple of days. You’ll know when it is long enough because the tightness will relax just enough. Currently, 1-3 days for the OMV is about right. You’re going to make me dig out a shale, you know.
The way they are behaving, I really do think both these 2012 Zins are headed for that rare latent free-floating laser beam stage with a bit more time. To me, this delayed gratification is worth the wait. Others prefer something more immediate, and that’s OK too.
There’s actually another 2012 coming down the road…probably later this year. It too, is latent. All in magnum.
Jane,
Due to some very positive results recently, we pretty much switched over to FedEx for the majority of interstate shipments this year (unless directed otherwise by the recipient). I hope you are as happy with them as with UPS. Both companies have their advocates and detractors. Taste in shipping company varies as much as taste in wine, it seems.
F
I’ve got half of the bottle of the Shale left, so I’ll see how it’s opening up tonight. And just like your teenagers, I promise to listen to you in the future.
Another 2012? Pray tell…
Oh, thanks. I have my full case in MI and am headed there soon. I’ll also bring some back to Utah for next winter.
Picked up my mixed case yesterday and it is now resting comfortably, tx Fred.
A month ago we opened a '12 OMV and a '12 Shale to see how they were coming along. The OMV was just fantastic, full of ripe red and black fruit, mouth watering acidity, silky tannins, a touch of syrah-ness and the usual Scherrer balance (those angles and rounds Fred taught us about). The Shale was a bit reclusive in comparison, unfortunately (or not) we finished that bottle that evening and didn’t give it enough time to come around. We’ll be holding on to the other five '12 Shales for a while.
I just opened my first 2013 OMV, and gave it about 5 hours of decant before tasting. The '13 is just so delicious. The nose is full of flowers and fruits, and the plate is smooth, fruity, spicy, earthy, focused and balanced. It will be really, really hard to not blow thru them too quickly.
Nice work, Fred!
I’ve recently discovered these wines and am already a big fan. Can anyone (hopefully a few of you) describe what they generally feel are the differences between the Shale Terrace and Old and Mature Vines Zinfandel bottlings? I’d like to become familiar with both over the next few years, but some context wouldn’t hurt. Thanks.
Others will do a better job of describing the difference, but I think the OMV tends to be fruitier, smoother, and younger, while the Shale is earthier, wilder, meatier, high-toned, takes longer to tame. Yet they’re also very much alike in their balance and restraint, with a pure sense of Zinfandel-ness.
Thanks everyone for the insights. I had to try my 2013s a few weeks ago and drank them both over a 3 night period. Delicious at each stage but the rest of my case is going nighty night.
Cheers,
Jason
Thanks, Marc. That character you’re describing is what had me hooked when I tried an '05 Shale Terrace recently. I then had an '07 OMV, and it did seem more fruit-forward and less meaty, but I sensed that those things might emerge a bit with more time. There were hints of them. I don’t know how much the difference in vintage character was in play there. I think they were very different vintages. It sounds like I might prefer Shale Terrace in general. I’ll keep buying various vintages of each as I can and form some of my own opinions, but I appreciate your input.
Anyone else?