Gloria Ferrer, 2002 Brut Royal Cuvee, Carneros

The Ferrer's came to Sonoma County in the early 1980s and visited a cattle ranch in the cool climate of the Carneros region with the idea of opening it as the future home of Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards. This ranch became the first Carneros Sparkling Wine House. The ranch was purchased in 1982 and by 1986 construction on the winery was complete. Jose Ferrer's family had been winegrowers in Spain since the 1500s and building this California winery was a lifelong dream for him. The Ferrer's family focused winery and their progressive sustainable farming make them another great winery to feature on the girl & the fig's wine list.

From the website, "We cultivate fruit for our premium quality sparkling and still wines in our 335 acres of Sonoma Carneros estate vineyards. Here, the climate is defined by warm days, cool nights, summer fog and a long growing season that coaxes grapes to maturity slowly and consistently, with balanced sugar and acidity. Our Vineyard Manager Mike Crumly and Winemaker Bob Iantosca, both of whom have worked for Gloria Ferrer from its inception, have devoted more than two decades to identifying the diverse soil types, microclimates and specific needs of every vine in their care... The Royal Cuvee is a prestige bottling that showcases the superb quality of the grapes from on our estate vineyard. Made only from the first pressing of grapes hand picked from our vineyards, this classic Brut blend of two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay offers the delicacy and exuberance of perfectly ripe fruit well integrated with mature complexities derived from over five years aging on the yeast".

Tasting Notes: 

This medium bodied sparkling wine features 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay grapes. With aromas of citrus, ripe red apple, spice, toast, cherry, and a hint of graphite, it pairs beautifully with a variety of foods. From simple treats like toasted almonds, Brie cheese or aged Gouda to foods like fried calamari, seared scallops, smoked fish, steamed mussels, BBQ pork and even a simple dish like chicken, this sparkling wine is the perfect accompaniment. 

"Gloria Ferrer reliably produces some of California's best sparkling wines, from the fruit-forward blanc de noirs to the richly structured Carneros Cuvee. On a warm day, step out onto the terrace of the visitor's center as you sip your bubble or on of the winery's Pinot Noirs or Chardonays..." -Wine Spectator, Travel to California Wine Country, June 2008

Schramsberg, 2006 Brut Rose, North Coast

Schramsberg was started in 1862 by Jacob Schram and his wife Annie, both immigrants from Germany. They grew up in wine families near the Rhine river and decided to buy land in Napa and hope for the best. After their deaths the estate was closed, and over the years it was used as vacation homes, until it was purchased by Jack and Jamie Davies in 1965. Now their son is the winemaker.

2006 was a great vintage with a long growing season. The Pinot Noir used in this blend benefited most from this longer, cool season accentuating the berry flavors. From the website, "A few small lots of Pinot Noir are fermented in contact with their skins to add depth and subtle color to this unique sparkling wine. Chardonnay gives spice, structure and length on the palate. Hand picking, careful handling and gentle pressing produce a wine of delicacy, free of skin and seed tannin. Following the fall harvest and base winemaking period, an extensive process of blending trial and refinement is carried out in the spring. The finished blend is aged on the yeast in the bottle for about two years, just enough to achieve refined effervescence and toastiness without diminishing its refreshing, vibrant appeal."

Varietal Composition: 68% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay

Appellation: North Coast

Harvest Dates: August 28 - October 17, 2006

Alcohol: 12.6%

Cases Produced: 7,400

Tasting Notes:

This flavorful, complex, and dry medium bodied sparkling has hints of grapefruit, strawberries, wild berries, warm berry cobbler, and panna cotta. Since this wine is so versatile you can try it with sushi, rock shrimp, salmon, pizza, roast chicken, BBQ ribs, burgers, chocolate raspbery tarts, creamy cheeses, and summer fruits. It's perfect at a restaurant or just for a simple dinner at home. 

"The unusually late harvest of 2006 produced bright, fruitful Pinot Noir. Aromas are generous and bursting with strawberries and ripe watermelon accentuated by subtle nuances of freshly baked rhubarb pie. The palate is knit seamlessly together. A crisp entry leads way to bountiful flavors of juicy strawberry, fresh peach and blood orange. The 2006 Brut Rose finishes with a long tangy and balanced acidity."

-Winemakers Keith Hock and Hugh Davies   

J Vineyards, Cuvée 20, Russian River Valley

"In 1986, Judy Jordan founded J Vineyards & Winery in order to craft the varietal and sparkling wines that have since become the essence of Russian River Valley expression. This viticultural area runs west through Sonoma County, following the river as it winds around rolling hills and through rich benchlands before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The region's unique topography creates a rich diversity of soils, and the cool coastal climate prolongs the growing season, making it one of only a few places on earth ideal for producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay." - from the website.

"Celebrating twenty years of winemaking excellence, J Cuvée 20 proudly displays an exceptional, stylish assemblage from the finest cool-climate vineyard sites in the Russian River Valley." 

J supports sustainable farming practices that are environmentally sensitive and socially responsible by minimal use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in our vineyards, making them an ideal winery to feature on the girl & the fig's wine list.

Winemaker: George Bursick

Appellation: Russian River Valley
Body: Medium
Alcohol: 12.5%

Tasting Notes:
This sparkling is 49% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir, and 2% Meunier. With crisp lemon peel, honeysuckle, and delicate yeast aromas, this sparking opens into fuji apple and grapefruit, with toast, caramel and almond. There is just enough acidity to add a little citrus flavoring and a lush finish. This 90 point (Wine Enthusiast) rated wine pairs wonderfully with Kumamoto oysters.

"Rich and distinctive. Mature aromas of baked bread, roasted hazelnut and fig open to elegant and well-structured apple, citrus zest and spice flavors that linger for a toasty finish." Tim Fish, Wine Specatator. Sept. 2008

"There is a slight bias to citrus and chalk here that reminds a bit of good Blanc de Blancs, and, if still fairly young and spry at its heart, the wine shows a nice measure of yeastiness that speaks to time en tirage . Enlivened by a mouthful of fine bubbles and very clean and crisp at the end, this one will work equally well as a foil to mild seafood preparations and as a taste-bud-awakening overture to special meals." Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, Nov. 2008

Roederer Estate, NV Brut, Anderson Valley

From the website: "Roederer Estate Brut, the first California sparkling wine produced by Champagne Louis Roederer, builds upon a 200-year tradition of fine winemaking that has made Roederer Champagne among the most sought-after in the world. Roederer's winemaking style is based on two elements: complete ownership of its vineyards and the addition of oak-aged reserve wines to each year's blend or cuvee. All the grapes for the wines are grown on the Estate. Oak-aged wines from the Estate's reserve cellars are added to the blend, creating a multi-vintage cuvee in the traditional Roederer style".

The Anderson Valley provides an ideal climate for the Roederer winemaking style. "This premium grape growing region's proximity to the ocean gives rise to a gentle cycle of warm days and cool nights, allowing grapes to mature slowly on the vine and develop full varietal character. To achieve optimum balance of acids and sugars in the estate's grapes, Jean Claude-Rouzaud, then president of Champagne Louis Roederer, introduced an 'open lyre' trellis system from training the vines on moveable wires, providing more exposure to sunlight than traditional trellis methods".

Appellation: Anderson Valley

Body: Medium

Aging: Aged a minimum of two years on the yeast

Alcohol: 12%

Cases: 80,000 cases annually

Tasting Notes:

The Brut NV is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. The taste is crisp and elegant, and this medium bodied sparkling has aromas of pear, hazelnut, spice, and even features a slight yeast taste. It is fresh and lightly fruity with great depth.

 "The wine is crisp, clean, austere in a good way and delicate. Although it is not overly complicated, there is a lingering complexity that engages the drinker on both a sensual and cerebral level... Grapes are rarely offered up as one of the flavors in wine, but they are there in every sip, alongside a suggestion of green fruit -- Asian pear, green apple and not-quite-ripe cherimoya. In the background, standing solid like a bass player... is an appealing bedrock of toast, from which tiny bubbles meander toward the surface, where they burst like tiny sea stars." Michele Anna Jordan, The Press Democrat, December 2007.