Winemaker: Sarah Quider
Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Sonoma, California
Put together two devoted, second-generation Italian-Americans with a passion for hard work, wine and food – and you can expect miracles. An astonishing hospitality and wine career of Rhonda and Don Carano started back in 1973, when Don, still practicing law at successful Reno’s law firm, established Eldorado Hotel/Casino – 282 room property.
It was “supposedly” on the wrong side of the tracks”. Today’s Eldorado has 817 rooms, 10 award-winning restaurants, 80 thousands sq. ft. of casino space, huge showroom, specialty retail space and complete convention center. The couple today owns another hotels and resort properties in Nevada.
It was on their wine buying trip to California in 1979, seeking the best wines to compliment their restaurant’s menu, when Caranos felt in love with Sonoma. It reminded them so much of Italy, they immediately purchased 60 acres parcel in Alexander Valley. That’s how Ferrari-Carano winery started. Just like in their other business projects, they believe in ownership to be able to completely control the quality. Today they own 17 vineyards in Sonoma county, with total over 2,500 acres of land.
That’s just a little bit from their amazing history. With carefully selected team of winemakers under the supervision of Steve Domenichelli, vineyard director, they are devoted to produce the best possible wines every year. Not only loyal customers, collectors and wine drinkers, but also wine experts confirm that they consistently do.
I chose their Fume Blanc today, but I will definitely come back with reviews of their Chardonnays and great, highly rated reds that Ferrari-Carano produces.
2009 vintage of Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc is a blend of vineyard lots from various appellations of Sonoma — Dry Creek, Alexander and Russian River Valleys. When grapes arrive at the winery, each lot is gently crushed, de-stemmed and pressed into stainless steel tanks for 48 hours of cold settling. The juice is either transferred to stainless steel tanks or older French oak barrels for fermentation. The wine in barrels is sur lie aged for 4 months. Individual lots are treated separately until blending to create the final Fumé Blanc blend.
Tasting notes:
Light golden color. I smell a lovely blend of fresh tropical fruits and lemon aromas. This is not your typical Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. It’s much milder, maybe more sophisticated and elegant with the notes of mango, pineapple, lemon and light grapefruit. The combination of stainless steel and oak gives wine enough crispiness and freshness, with depth and complexity from the barrel aging lots.
Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak (partially)
Retail price: under $ 15.00
Ideal food pairing:
Seafood, shrimp scampi, with spicy cuisine such as Chinese, Indian, Thai or sushi
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