2005-07-01
by Richard Paul Hinkle
When the then-new Gloria Ferrer facility was dedicated on the westernmost edge of Carneros – this was about two decades ago, when it was the first winery in the region dedicated to sparkling wine – I had the honor of speaking in welcome of José and Gloria Ferrer. Noting, in my speech, that the young couple’s family had just dropped $11 million on Sonoma County, I quoted an old Spanish adage: “Nunca mucho cuesto poco” (“Much never costs little”). The Ferrers nodded in agreement, their family having, for eons, demonstrated their adeptness in sparking wine with their Spanish treasure, Freixenet. (Their home base, outside of Barcelona – which reminds one of San Francisco – is a Catalonian vineland Eden that equally reminds of Sonoma County.)
In the years since, first under Eileen Crane, now under Bob Iantosca (long “I”), Gloria Ferrer has established itself as a leader in California sparkling wine. “The job,” says Iantosca, “is a fascinating bit of multi-tasking – you have to be, at the same time, a botanist, a farmer, a chemist, a carpenter, a mechanic, and an accountant.”
That Iantosca has done those jobs well is attested to by the exciting sparkling wines he routinely presents. Taste the engaging strawberry and cola – it’s mostly Pinot Noir – and almond hints of the Blanc de Noirs ($18), a wine that is popular with a range of consumers. Mid-range is the fine 2002 Blanc de Blancs ($24, all Chardonnay), with its lean, toasty lemon fruit. This is a wine that can handle more than a few years of bottle age, if you are patient enough and appreciative enough of the oily texture and increased, layered complexity that is sure to result. With age, this is a wine that can easily handle most meat dishes.
Or go top shelf with the complex and equally age-worthy – trust me, good sparkling wines age remarkably well – Carneros Cuvee 1995 ($50), with its full-throated French bread toastiness, butter, cream and hazelnut tang. This is a wine that is up to virtually any cuisine or entrée that you might imagine, from a blood-dripping steak to the more obvious mussels or butter-laden crab or lobster. This is an excellent wine for stretching your culinary horizons, for finding new and intriguing matchups. They’re out there, trust me. Just open your mind and prepare to be dazzled.
Do not forget Iantosca’s still wine renderings. The Chardonnay 2002 ($18) reflects Carneros “lean,” with grapefruit and talc, and a hint of lemon. The Syrah 2000 ($22) is pretty good, too, with menthol and blackberries. But the stars on the still wine side are the Pinot Noirs. The Gravel Knob 2001 ($40) is a delicate-strawberry beauty, but keep an eye out for the 2002 José S. Ferrer ($35), with silky, even sulky raspberry and strawberry fruit that is delicate and delicious. Filet mignon, lots of mushrooms. That’s the ticket.
Gloria Ferrer is located at 23555 Highway 121, on the southern outskirts of Sonoma (just across the road from the Sonoma Valley Airport, where bi-plane and aerobatic flights can be experienced). Tasting and touring are offered daily between 10:30 and 5:30. The last tour of the day varies. (There is a per-glass fee for tasting, not refundable with purchase.) Prepare to be dazzled by the elegantly appointed interiors, the outdoor summer festivals, and the cozy, fireside winter events. There’s always something happening at Ferrer, including their vaunted Catalan Festival in July.
“Our Catalan Festival is on the weekend of July 23 and 24 this year,” says Minnesota-born hospitality director Tom Scott. “That’s our signature event, and it’s two days of music, dance, art, and local restaurateurs showing their finest interpretations of Mediterranean, Spanish and Catalan foodstuffs. There is plenty of wine, of course, and cooking demonstrations. And, of course, the gegants [pronounce it “hey-gahn-tayss”], the Catalan ‘giants.’ The kids love ’em.”
Scott is justifiably proud of the winery’s everyday service in the tasting area. “You have to understand, we’re a little different than anyone else. The product is different for starters – sparkling wine versus table wines – but we also offer table service. You order your glass, and you are served on the terrace, with it exquisite view of the lower valley, or on a rainy day by the fireplace in our salon. Plus, you’re not as rushed as you might be elsewhere.”
For further information, phone (707) 996-7256 or (707) 933-1999, or check ’em out on the website at www.gloriaferrer.com. Do phone ahead.
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