From fine wine and food offerings, to beautiful architecture and vineyard views, there are no shortage of wineries to visit in Northern California Wine Country, where between Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino County there are almost 600 wineries to visit.

I have many favorites. From wineries I take first time visitors to wineries I feel are some of the best kept secrets in Wine Country.

Throughout my time on Steemit, I look forward to sharing delicious wines with you (online and in person, hopefully!) and writing about amazing wineries you must visit and experiences you must try someday.

That includes wine reviews and "must drink" wine round-ups, winery previews and my extensive reviews of wineries I visited.

For my followers, you'll be booking a flight to California Wine Country - or popping by a local winery of your own or grabbing a bottle at the store - in no time.

Join me on a life of a little "decentralised luxury" on Steemit - it tastes delicious.

The patio at Gloria Ferrer (Courtesy photo)

Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards

A perennial favorite, Gloria Ferrer's sparkling wine house is one of the first wineries you pass when entering Sonoma Valley Wine Country (where I live!).

It is owned by Catalan wine producer Freixenet (if you live in Europe you've probably had their cava, it's the best selling sparkling wine in the world) and is named after the matriarch of the Freixenet empire, Gloria Ferrer.

The winery opened in 1986, designed after a Catalan masia (farmhouse). Even the King and Queen of Spain have visited the winery - and there is a wine named for them. (And yes, the Ferrer's are pro-Catalan independence.)

The tasting room was renovated in late 2015. (Courtesy photo)

Their wines are a household name in the US, where they are sold at virtually every grocery store in the country. At the winery, they offer flights of not only their most popular wines, but also winery exclusive sparklings and still wines (chardonnay and pinot noir).

The patio fills up quickly on a sunny afternoon, overlooking their rolling vineyards in the Carneros wine growing region, where their grapes are sourced. On chilly days, they offer heaters on the patio and on rainy days, visitors relax in the newly renovated interior tasting room.

A beautiful line up - Gloria Ferrer makes sparkling wine and also a few still wines, which are always chardonnay and pinot noir, the two primary grapes used to make sparkling wine and Champagne. (Courtesy photo)

The wines

Gloria Ferrer is best known for their sparkling wines made of pinot noir and chardonnay, the two primary grapes used for sparkling wine around the world, including Champagne.

They were the first winery to plant sparkling wine specific grapes in the Carneros region and today they have 335 acres of estate vineyards.

Their wines use the methode champenoise process - the same way you make Champagne. The wines are aged onsite in underground caves. 

Currently, they make two non-vintage sparklers (easily found around the US) and six vintage sparklers. In the past few years, they've also introduced still chardonnay and pinot noir.

I'm a big fan of their sparklings and I think their still wines are improving year after year. I generally try a splash of a still wine when I'm at the winery, but stick to bubbles.

Nibbles on the patio? Yes, please! (Photo: Sarah Stierch)

The food

I tend to make an afternoon out of my visit to Gloria Ferrer, bringing friends and/or family to enjoy some bubbles and nibbles al fresco. It's become such a regular place to visit for my family, that my parents joined the wine club and my stepmother hosted her 60th birthday party on the terrace.

They offer beautifully prepared cheese and charcuterie plates, including local California and Spanish cheese and meats, as well as seasonal condiments (housemade mustard, olive oil and a to die for tomato jam). Don't miss the truffle potato chips and almonds spiced with Ferrer family spices.

Bubbles and Bites tasting features seasonal nibbles paired with Gloria Ferrer wines. (Courtesy photo)

You can also opt for a more formal tasting, which they call Bubbles and Bites. You start with a private tour of the property, including visiting the caves where the bubbles age, followed by a seated food and wine pairing in the Vista Room, which overlooks their estate vineyards.

During the pairing, you taste three sparklings and one still wine paired with four reasonably sized house-prepared bites. The menu changes daily, ensuring you get only the finest local and seasonal ingredients.

Final thoughts + wines not to miss

Gloria Ferrer is a must visit for any Northern California Wine Country visitor. Make a reservation, relax on the patio, and sip your cares away (with moderation, of course!).

Opt for the free tour, which is offered daily, and includes a tour of the working winery and wine caves.

When there, be sure to taste two sparklers:

• Royal Cuvee - a vintage sparkling which was first served, in 1987, to the King and Queen of Spain.
• Carneros Cuvee - Their "Tete de Cuvee" (which basically translates into the best wine they make made from the best grapes they grew) is a consistently excellent wine that is aged for almost 10 years. Not to be missed.

Take note

Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards is child friendly and dog friendly. It is ADA accessible.

The lead photograph is courtesy of Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards.

Take action

Gloria Ferrer is located at 23555 Highway 121, Sonoma CA 96476. Call (707) 933-1917 to make a reservation or book online at gloriaferrer.com. If you can't visit, you can buy their wine on their website or around the world by visiting their website's store locator.

About Sarah

Sarah Stierch is a journalist based in Sonoma, California in the United States. She primarily works in the realms of wine, travel, food and culture. Her work can be discovered in Wine Enthusiast, Sonoma Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, KQED, Motorburn, The Huffington Post, North Bay Biz, North Bay Woman, the Bohemian, The Press Democrat, Sonoma Index-Tribune, and more. She's a former fellow at the Wikimedia Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, and Berkeley Center for New Media.

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