Winemaker Notes
Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blancs is both light and elegant. The bright citrus flavor on the mid-palate with a slight toasty finish is a match for grilled chicken glazed with orange and ginger. For the dessert course, try Meyer lemon mousse with ripe raspberries. Add toasted Marcona almonds and dried mango to a cheese board, along with triple cream cheeses such as cambozola, Brie, or La Tur. Best enjoyed chilled in a white wine glass.
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.