Carneros Cuvée Accolades

2001 Vintage

2013 Gold Medals
International Eastern Wine Competition - Best of Class, Double Gold

2000 Vintage

89 POINTS
"The 2000 Carneros Cuvée is subtle and gracious from start to finish. Hints of pear, apricot, pastry and apples emerge from the beautifully delineated bouquet. The Carneros Cuvée impresses for its silky, understated fruit and terrific overall balance. A long, polished finish rounds things out in style. This is a beautiful wine from Gloria Ferrer."
- "The Best of Sonoma", The Wine Advocate #199, February 2012

97 POINTS
"Wilfred's 'aha!' moment with this wine happened at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair in a pairing with paella. 'Late disgorged,' meaning the wine stayed in contact with the used yeasts longer than usual, it has all sorts of toasty, biscuity, creamy flavors. This is definitely a contender for our champagne flutes when we’re ringing in 2012."
- Wilfred Wong, December 2011

95 POINTS
"The winery held back this brutstyle wine for eleven years. Even at this great age, the wine tastes young and vibrant in acidity, with rich strawberry, orange, lime and yeast flavors, finished with sweet vanilla. Tastes beautiful now, but extraordinary as it is, it should gain traction over the next ten years." - Wine Enthusiast Magazine, December 15, 2011

90 POINTS
"Lush and elegant, with baked apple tart aromas and complex, layered flavors of Asian pear, cinnamon and lemon custard. Drink now through 2014."
- Wine Spectator Insider, October 19, 2011

TOP 100 WINES
"This long-aged reserve bottle from Ferrer shows its commitment to the potential of Carneros. After a full decade on its lees, this is simultaneously opulent and precise. Aromas of citrus pith, thyme, pear skin and yeast underscore remarkable youth for a 10-year-old wine."
- San Francisco Chronicle, Top 100 Wines 2011

2013 Gold Medals
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

2012 Gold Medals
Critics Challenge
Florida State Fair Wine Competition
LA International Wine Competition
Monterey Wine Competition - Best of Show Sparkling
Riverside International Wine Competition
US National Wine Competition
Winemakers Challenge - Wine of the Year

1999 Vintage

91 POINTS
“Luscious, rich and almost showy, offering bold, mature aromas and succulent flavors of apple tart, cinnamon and caramel.”
- Wine Spectator December 31, 2010 – January 15, 2011

91 POINTS
"Bright strawberry and jasmine scents contrast this wine's toasty, mature character. Even with all the autolysis enriching the texture, this still feels sunny, its bubbles capturing the ripeness of California fruit."
- Wine & Spirits, December 2010

2010 Gold Medals
Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition - Platinum
Tasters Guild International Wine Competition - Double Gold
San Francisco International Wine Competition
Los Angeles International Wine Competition - Best of Class
Long Beach Grand Cru - Sweepstakes
Indiana Wine Competition
Sommelier Challenge
Tasters Guild Consumers' Wine Judging

1998 Vintage

4 1/2 Stars
"Wine of the Week: Tasty sparklers Scouting for the tastiest sparkler $26 and up.
- The Press Democrat, December 31, 2008

93 POINTS
"A luscious and superior California bubbly, this blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay shows an irresistible richness of raspberry puree, cherry skin bitterness, vanilla, yeasty baked bread and something unidentifiably smoky-sweet. Yet it's bone dry. With a long, complex finish, it should continue to age beyond this, its tenth birthday."
- Wine Enthusiast, December 31st, 2008

2009 Gold Medals
The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition
Fingerlakes International Wine Competition
Jerry Mead New World Wine Competition - Best New World Sparkling Wine, Platinum, Best of Class
Pacific Rim Wine Competition - Best of Class
Tasters Guild International Wine Competition
Critics Challenge International Wine Competition
North of the Gate Wine Competition
Sonoma Valley Wine Competition - Sweepstakes

1997 Vintage

92 POINTS, Recommended, Top Wine
"Deftly combines fresh, lively fruit with richness and finesse, showing supple yet powerful toast, vanilla and spice flavors."
- Wine Spectator, December 31, 2007 - January 15, 2008

95 POINTS, Editor's Choice, Top 100 Wines
"This is the winery's most expensive bottling, a late disgorged bubbly that has now seen a decade of age. It shows the elegant polish of the '97 Royal Cuvee, but is superior even to it in richness. The creamy smoothness is the star attraction, but so are the subtle citrus, raspberry, brioche and vanilla flavors. Impeccably dry balance guarantees that this beautiful brut will age effortlessly for 10 years, if not longer. Editor's Choice."
- Wine Enthusiast, December 31, 2007

90 POINTS
"There is a distinct autolyzed, toasty edge to the aromas of this effort, and they are joined in the nose by a somewhat simple lemon-lime fruit quality that is a bit at odds with its more mature parts. That noted, the wine has plenty of energy and finely bubbled mousse, and its flavors hit all the expected marks of citrus, chalky, creamy richness and bright fruit and vitality. Its handsome, refined package makes it a good choice for celebratory evenings."
- Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, November 2007

2008 Gold Medals
The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition
Tasters Guild International Wine Competition
Pacific Rim International Wine Competition
Orange County Fair Wine Competition

2007 Gold Medals
Critics Challenge International Wine Competition
Riverside International Wine Competition