Weekday wines - Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut

By the time Jose and Gloria Ferrer came to Carneros in 1982, grape growing and wine making was a 100-year-old experiment. The rolling hills north of the San Pablo Bay saw dramatic growth in plantings in the 1880s with Judge John Stanly (of famed Stanly Ranch) leading the way. Of course, the social experiment called Prohibition largely wiped out that growth, with few vineyards (including Stanly Ranch) remaining. But over the next thirty years, the potential of Los Carneros drew interest and by the 1960s, new plantings were established there, first by Beaulieu Vineyards and Louis Martini, then Robert Mondavi Winery, Charles Krug and Domaine Chandon. 

The Ferrers’, whose family had made sparkling wine in Catalonia for generations, recognized the ideal climate for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay — and thus the perfect terroir for sparkling wines. The initial vines (¾ Pinot Noir, ¼ Chardonnay) were planted in 1984 and the winery opened in 1986. Thus, Gloria Ferrer became the first sparkling winery in Carneros. Now, nearly 50 years later, the winery produces 2 dozen sparkling wines annually alongside a dozen still wines, mostly from those original vineyard holdings.

The Sonoma Brut is the workhouse of the winery but also its pride and joy. Composed mostly of Pinot Noir, the sparkling wine is bold and rich, while remaining fresh and vibrant. Pear and apple flavors dominate backed by subtle floral hints, while the enlivening effervescence constantly refreshes the palate. If sparkling wine is the wine for celebration, this wine suggests that you should find something to celebrate everyday. (PW)