Sonoma Sparkling Icon Uncorks Major Anniversary Celebration This Weekend

SONSONOMA VALLEY, CA — Gloria Ferrer will celebrate a ruby anniversary this weekend, marking four decades since becoming the first sparkling wine estate established in the Los Carneros American Viticultural Area and helping shape California's traditional-method sparkling wine industry.

Founded by José Ferrer as a tribute to his wife, Gloria, the winery became the first sparkling wine estate in the Los Carneros American Viticultural Area and has since built a reputation for traditional méthode champenoise sparkling wines produced from estate vineyards in Carneros.

The three-day anniversary celebration, Friday-Sunday, features an exclusive retrospective wine dinner, educational seminars, vineyard and winery tours, culinary experiences, live entertainment, and tastings highlighting the winery's history and future.

Winery executives say the estate remains focused on innovation, sustainability, and hospitality after recently earning organic certification for its vineyards.

To mark the milestone, Gloria Ferrer will release a limited-edition 40th Anniversary sparkling wine in August.

Inspired by the winery's original Royal Cuvée, the $110 bottling features a Chardonnay-forward blend sourced entirely from estate vineyards and will be sold exclusively at the winery.

The winery also partnered with Austrian glassmaker RIEDEL to revive "Gloria's Glass," a handcrafted, mouth-blown design based on Gloria Ferrer's personal glassware collection. The commemorative glass also will be available exclusively at the Sonoma estate beginning in August.

Over the past four decades, Gloria Ferrer has helped establish California as an internationally recognized producer of traditional-method sparkling wine.

Today, Gloria Ferrer operates as part of Henkell Freixenet, while continuing to produce wines from its Carneros estate overlooking Sonoma Valley.