Anyone who has lived in or visited Northern California wine country knows Gloria Ferrer, one of the original and most prominent sparkling wine houses in the state. I recently tasted this iconic reserve sparkling wine with friends. It was a great way to kick off our dinner event.
The bottle itself commands attention. The winery uses a distinctively wide, bell-shaped bottom that curves steeply to a slender neck. It makes quite an appearance on the table. I learned that the Ferrer Family (owners of Freixenet, a Spanish sparkling wine house) designed the bottle as an homage to its European roots.
The sparkler is light blush in the glass and bright, lightly effervescent, with zesty fresh fruit and herbs on the palate. The cuvée is composed of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay, and was en tirage for 20 months. The result is light-bodied bubbles at only 12.5%, perfect for food pairings. In fact, our dinner guests enjoyed it with homemade smoked salmon spread and almond flour crackers for our pre-dinner ‘aperitivo’.
Read winemaker Kyle Altomare’s Wine Characters interview to learn why he chose this wine as emblematic of the Ferrer brand.