Pinot Noir Clonal Research

In the early 1980s, the Ferrer family understood the benefits of investing in experimentation and research. In the Old World, winegrowers learned their trade from wisdom and techniques passed down through generations. In the New World, with the Ferrer family's support, Executive Winemaker Bob Iantosca and VP Production, Mike Crumly traveled to France to learn more about clonal research.

"The vision that Bob had more than 20 years ago when he began his exploration of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir heirloom vine selections or 'clones,' is just now being realized in terms of the quality of our Gloria Ferrer sparkling and estate varietal wines," says longtime Executive Vice President Eva Bertran.

This extensive and ongoing commitment to clonal research benefits not only Gloria Ferrer, but continues to be shared with the California wine industry at large.

Our winegrowing team matches perfectly suited Pinot Noir and Chardonnay heirloom vines with our diverse estate vineyard sites, rendering infinite possibilities in our finished wines. "Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are about choosing the right clones," says Winemaker Steven Urberg. For Urberg, cultivating Pinot Noir, famously unpredictable and uniquely variable, requires a balance between careful research and the intuitive sense of a well-trained vineyard team. For instance, "we'll take a vigorous vine, and instead of over-managing it, we'll plant it on a hill where the soils are shallow."