Judges explore Gloria Ferrer’s 335-acre Sonoma estate
tasting room on Arnold Drive overlooking Sonoma Valley.
Everyone sipped Gloria Ferrer 2010 Carneros Anniversary Cuvee, nibbling crispy bacon wrapped chorizo-stuffed dates and roasted vegetable empanadas with romesco sauce. Anyone eavesdropping heard the professionals discussing the wines they had judged that afternoon and anticipating the wines they would judge the next day — clearly not exhausted of their favorite topic.
Being selected as host for the evening is a significant occasion for a winery, Bertran noted. An invitation-only honor, hosting offers extra opportunity for an estate team to build relationships with the wine professionals who attend and give an insiders’ look at every facet of their property.
“This is a perfect time for everyone to meet our winemakers, and show everyone what’s new at Gloria Ferrer,” Bertran said.
For the 335-acre estate that debuted in 1986 as the first sparkling wine house in Sonoma Carneros, “new” is a relative term. The Ferrer family established their winegrowing business in Catalonia, Spain more than 600 years ago, specializing in méthode traditionelle sparkling wines since the beginning.
In the 1970’s, José and Gloria Ferrer traveled to Sonoma, and immediately fell in love with the bucolic
area. By 1982, they had found the perfect property, a cattle ranch with sloping hillsides, and set out designing their winery in the style of a masia, a Catalan farmhouse saluting Ferrer’s Spanish roots. They also dug caves, the first such underground structures in the area.
The winery’s grand opening was an elaborate affair, featuring the President of Catalonia cutting the ribbon and Spanish tenor Placido Domingo performing.
Then, as it is now, the vineyards were dedicated to the two celebrated components of sparkling wine: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The first wine to be released was the Gloria Ferrer Brut, today called Sonoma Brut and remaining the winery’s best selling wine.
Over the years, the winemaking team expanded into still wines, focusing again strictly on those two estate varietals.
Yet during a guided tour following the sparking reception, judges did discover many new things. Just three years ago, the winery was remodeled, doubling the size of the tasting room’s Vista Terrace for even more expansive views of the vineyards and San Pablo Bay.
The interior visitor center was expanded by 30 percent, and a museum-style room was added to display selections from cofounder Gloria Ferrer’s stunning collection of thousands of artistic Champagne flutes that she has gathered from around the world.
Next, it was time for dinner in the lavishly decorated barrel room with its curved ceiling dramatically up-lit in a fleur-de-lis pattern. The golden patina also danced across the soaring walls of oak barrels, reflecting against votive candles glowing on the white linen draped tables.
“The evening allows us to show how food-friendly our wines are,” Bertran said. “And we can treat the judges to some wines they haven’t tasted in the competition.”
This year, Gloria Ferrer introduced
“The evening allows us to show how food-friendly our wines are. And we can treat the judges to some wines they haven’t tasted in the competition.” Eva Bertran, vice president of marketing for Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards in Sonoma
the first vintage of its new WindVane wines, a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir created by winemaker Steven Urberg as an homage to the Western Carneros winds that lend distinct character to the estate’s ridge top grapevines.
“The winds do make their mark,” said Urberg, noting with a smile that originally the estate’s young olive trees grew at a 45degree angle to the east until staking and growth straightened them. “WindVane really allows us to show what these vineyards have to offer with no heavy oak or malolactic fermentation and a lot of pure fruit expression.”
After Sonoma Brut paired with mango basil shrimp in a crispy wonton cup, guests dined on golden pan-seared halibut with potatoes and leeks in saffron-seafood broth paired with WindVane 2015 Chardonnay.
Next, chef Bruce Riezenman of Cotati’s Park Avenue Catering sent out a tender rack of lamb dressed with green olives and Pinot-cherry-rosemary sauce, alongside a salad of kale, pine nuts, currants and roasted carrots plus a side of white beans tossed in thyme olive oil. The dish worked perfectly with the WindVane 2015 Pinot Noir.
Ever since the San Francisco Chronicle took over title sponsorship of the Cloverdale Citrus Fair Wine Competition in 2000, the event has evolved into what’s now an unofficial challenge among wineries to host the most memorable judges’ dinner. And Gloria Ferrer drew crowd applause for its startling mid-meal performance by a waitress who appeared to trip in the middle of the room, sending her service tray crashing. A waiter valiantly caught her, and suddenly, the two transformed into dancers, floating in a brilliant, romantic Spanish waltz that had guests surprised, then mesmerized.
When everyone returned to
the tasting room for dessert, another treat awaited them. More sparkling was poured; they enjoyed 2006 Carneros Cuvee with crema Catalana glazed in crackly sugar and miguelitos chocolate-stuffed phyllo cakes. But the serving table stole the show. It was a magnificent costumed Spanish senorita, with the billows of her fabulous gown doubling as a pastry counter.
Perhaps the most significant message for the evening was how nimble sparkling wines can be, as judges and guests savored the bubbly with so many different dishes.
“Sparkling wine is a food wine,” Bertran said. “The U.S. used to think it was mainly for special occasions, but the Spanish drink sparkling all through their meals. The high acidity and sugar notes makes it so versatile. Today, nobody needs an excuse to drink sparkling.”