Gloria Ferrer Wines in Sonoma

Gloria Ferrer Wines is the passion project of Jose and Gloria Ferrer. Over 40 years ago, they took a chance on the land and began planting vineyards with the intent of making some of the best sparkling wine in California. A story of love, passion, and intention, the wines they make highlight the beauty of the estate. 

Today that legacy continues with sparkling wine that adds color, and a little extra sparkle to special moments. We interview Kyle Altomare, Gloria Ferrer Winemaker to learn more. 

What type of wine do you specialize in? 

Kyle Altomare, Gloria Ferrer Winemaker: We are masterful crafters of Traditional Method Sparkling, as well as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc. Each year we experiment intentionally with other varietals such as Malvasia Bianca, Chenin Blanc, and more to continue to hone our skills to make some of the best wines in California.

What makes your wine unique?

Kyle Altomare: We thrive on innovation. Sparkling wine is often a slow game to play, with wines resting “en tirage” sometimes for upwards of 8 years before release. This means experiments are often tough to come by.

However, at Gloria Ferrer, we refine our craft through the melding of historical winemaking acumen, and exciting boundary pushing ideas. This might mean working with new varietals, new fermentation techniques, or even new vessels to ferment and age in. All of this gives us a wide array of base wines for blending the cuvée’s we are so passionate about sharing with our friends and family!

Share a popular tasting experience.

Kyle Altomare: At Gloria Ferrer, we offer a variety of experiences that everyone can enjoy. It’s all about what you’re looking for, from our popular tapas and brunch menu, food and wine experience, or our retrospective tasting, you’ll be able to take in our picturesque views while tasting with our talented estate team. We walk you through not only our wines, but also show you how sparkling wine is one of the best wines to pair with food and good company.

What’s one thing you wish more people knew about your winery? 

Kyle Altomare: We are masters of sparkling wine, but we also excel in producing a range of still wines. This is where we exercise our grape growing and winemaking expertise to show how versatile our estate truly is. Innovation is in our DNA – where else can you taste Pinot Blanc 3 different ways? From our exciting and vibrant Ilumina (Sparkling Pinot Blanc) to our Carneros Chardonnay and decadent, luxurious Late Harvest, we are sure to have a wine for every occasion.

How did you get started in the wine industry? 

Kyle Altomare: I got started in the wine industry as a second career. I originally intended to teach high school history, but after being in winemaking for almost 15 years, I couldn’t imagine what life would be without it. I say every year that harvest is my absolute favorite time of year, the sights, sounds, smells, it all makes the long days’ worth it. 

They say hindsight is 20:20, and looking back my dad set me up for a successful career in winemaking by making me obsessed with flavor. He was a chef, so we grew up with very good meals, but he trained me to pay attention to flavor at a granular level by dissecting different ingredients and cooking techniques in dishes. I carry that with me into winemaking, and celebrate each wine for its individual personality, and always think about what it can bring to a blend.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in the winemaking process?

Kyle Altomare: Patience. Especially when it comes to sparkling wine. Wine in general is a slow feedback loop, but with sparkling, the decisions you make can last 10+ years until you see the result. You must become a note taking savant to keep things straight for that amount of time, and I often obsess over every detail, sometimes it’s hard to sit still while those decisions pan out. Every time we sit down to make a blend, the anticipation used to be something that I tried to temper, and now, it’s become my favorite part of the process – often the wait makes it taste even better!

Do you remember the first time you fell in love with wine? 

Kyle Altomare: Falling in love with wine has been a series of influential memories for me, not a singular moment. It’s a passion that continues to develop each day for me. I always remember my childhood with wine around the table at each family meal, and no matter how chaotic the days were, meals were always a time to be together.

I always remember wanting to smell each glass of wine, I wasn’t particularly interested in tasting, but the smells were something that kept calling each time a glass was poured. With that foundation, and my dad’s cooking, it set me on a path in the constant pursuit of things that taste great.

Describe your winemaking philosophy.

Kyle Altomare: My winemaking philosophy is constantly evolving, but at its core it is to honor each wine and vintage as its own while preserving delicate balance. What I truly love about this industry is that every vintage brings something unique and special.

There is a certain cathartic rhythm, where you are performing similar actions and activities each year, but every year is different than the last. It’s what helps me look at each vintage through its own lens, never taking the exact same path twice. After all, it’s about enjoying the journey of each wine from grape to bottle. Some wines tell epic sagas, and some tell nice anecdotes, but each has a story to cherish.

Do you have a favorite story about working at your winery? 

Kyle Altomare: Every year we invite a special cohort of members to join our Heritage Wine Society. We take members through the process of creating their vintage dated Cuvée. Starting in the vineyard, progressing into blending, and finally getting to choose the dosage. The total experience lasts 2 years, and so it’s exciting to see a group that started as strangers, leave as best friends getting dinner together after our experiences. It’s very rewarding.

What do you love about winemaking?

Kyle Altomare: I love the team aspect of winemaking. Each year our team comes together from growing the grapes to making the wine, and we all know we are making a piece of history. When you take home a bottle of Gloria Ferrer wine, the first time that wine has left our care, is when it’s poured in the glass, you’re going to drink it from. It’s truly rewarding to see someone’s face sparkle with joy after tasting something we poured our passion into.

How does your team help you as a winemaker?

Kyle Altomare: Our team here at Gloria Ferrer is the reason why the wines we make are world class. Every single person that works together here is all in it for the same reason, to make something that people enjoy. It takes each and every one of us from harvesting grapes in the vineyard, to our lab and production team focusing on quality, and our exceptional hospitality staff to translate and tell the stories of each vintage. When it all comes together, it shows in the wines that you get to take home and enjoy around your own dinner table!

Do you have any winery traditions with your team?

Kyle Altomare: Yes! Each year our leadership team makes a “start of harvest” bet. At budbreak, before you even know what the vintage will look like, we all call our predictions for what day harvest will start. The closest to the date gets a “loaded” sandwich from a local deli near us. It’s fun to spend the year talking about who’s going to win a sandwich, and when those grapes finally arrive, we toast with our Royal Cuvée. We joke that it is important to always pour some of the sparkling onto the grapes, so they learn how to make bubbles!