We are finally in the delightful days of summer and I am trying to plan some special date nights to do with my husband. On Friday evenings, we usually like to stay at home and I thought it’d be fun to have a Happy Hour at home with my main squeeze! My husband and I both love to make appetizers and mini desserts to enjoy outside with the perfect bottle of wine. It is fun, relaxing and a perfect way to enjoy some fresh air. On this particular evening we popped open a bottle of the NEW Gloria Ferrer Brut Rosé.
It seems lately that rose wines are on trend and I must admit I’ve been reaching for them more often. The Gloria Ferrer Brut Rosé is compared of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. It has a beautiful rose color, a fruity clean taste of bright strawberries and red cherries. The red fruit continues on with some notes of creme brûlée and wraps up with a touch of mineral. It is just simply delicious and perfect for an outdoor happy hour at home!
I always love to hear about the stories behind the producers of a bottle of wine I’m enjoying and Gloria Ferrer handcrafted sparkling wines have a beautiful story that I will share with you.
Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards is Carneros’ original sparkling wine house, owned and founded by the Ferrer family of Spain. Named for José Ferrer’s wife, Gloria, the winery opened in 1986 in the breezy, now-famous region in southernmost Sonoma County.
Gloria Ferrer is not only the first sparkling wine house in Sonoma Carneros, but also the first to bring back clones from France to plant their vineyard.
Thirty years later, with 335 acres under vine, the estate vineyards at Gloria Ferrer is known as experts in the production of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and produce estate grown still and sparkling wines that rival some of the world’s finest.
Gloria Ferrer wines have earned over 500 gold medals and 50 90+ scores in the last 5 years.
Now I will talk a little about the food we prepared for our happy hour. I have been wanting to try a watermelon salsa for awhile, but decided upon a watermelon pico de gallo from a cookbook I had around the house.
This watermelon pico de gallo was delicious and refreshing with some tortilla scoops!
It’s funny, because I used to HATE peppers! But, into my late thirties I have really started to enjoy them! This watermelon pico de gallo has red, yellow and green peppers in it.
My husband and I will definitely be getting another bottle of this sparkling Gloria Ferrer Brut Rosé. We both really enjoyed sipping it outside with the delicious food we had set out. This wine is an outstanding cheese wine, so we’ll definitely try it the next time we make a picnic spread with cheese, sausage and fruits. It is also delicious with Asian dish, barbecued pork ribs and grilled seafood. Yum!
I made these delicious lemon bars with a lemon curd topping and graham cracker crust. Lemon always makes me think of summer!
I really enjoy spending time with my husband, he is truly my best friend. I know when we take time out to spend together it is time well spent! Good food and a special bottle of wine makes the moment even more special!
Gloria Ferrer sent us another sparkling wine, the Gloria Ferrer NV Blanc de Blanc and we tried it on another evening.
The Gloria Ferrer NV Blanc de Blanc is made of 100% Chardonnay. This wine is creamy, clean and refreshing. There are flavors of Granny Smith apples, lemongrass, brioche and vanilla cream with lively mineral notes. It pairs well with seared scallops (my favorite dish!), baked halibut and fresh oysters. For cheese, it pairs well with rich Brie or soft goat cheese.
Both of these handcrafted sparkling wines elevate everyday entertaining and I would recommend both the Gloria Ferrer NV Blanc de Blanc AND Gloria Ferrer Brut Rosé! Cheers!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
