Ferrari-Carano Winery & Lake Sonoma - Both Very Nice

The third Dry Creek Valley we visited on one day of our October trip was Ferrari-Carano Winery and Vineyards. Immediately after that, we visited Lake Sonoma. I highly recommend both.

Our visit to Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery (http://www.ferrari-carano.com/) had been recommend by our Sonoma hosts, who were with us on that visit. I am grateful for their recommendation.

The Ferrari-Carano tasting rooms and gardens are located at 8761 Dry Creek Rd., about 3.5 miles northwest of Truett Hurst, our previous visit. 

Ferrari-Carano is a very elegant winery with beautiful grounds and a classy tasting room. The winery and vineyards are owned and operated by Don and Rhonda Carano. The Ferrari part of the name comes from Don’s grandmother. They have about one million vines in 19 vineyards totaling 1,400 acres in five appellations - the Dry Creek Valley, the Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, and Napa/Carneros.

We started our visit in the gardens (http://www.ferrari-carano.com/visit/gardens/), which are splendid. They have over 2,000 species of trees and shrubs marked with identification tags. The gardens constantly change “in color scheme and plantings, beginning each year with over 10,000 tulips and daffodils that take center stage in the spring.”

One section of the garden seemed very oriental, elegant, and serene. The gardens were the most magnificent of any that we saw at the 23 wineries we visited. There is a stream with waterfalls. The stream is crossed by footbridges. There are also carp-filled ponds. There were lots of flowers in bloom. There are also beautiful bronze statues.

One tree I loved was a huge cork oak tree. According to the sign next to the tree, cork oak trees must be 40 to 50 years old before they can be used to harvest corks. The cork can only be harvested every 9 years. The trees can produce corks until they are 300 years old.

 Cork Oak & Flowers

After leaving the gardens, we walked up toward the tasting room. En route, we passed a huge bronze sculpture of a wild boar whose name is intentionally misspelled, “Boardeaux.”

The name of the building housing the tasting room is Villa Fiore (Italian for “Flower Villa.”) It is a large, elegant building. On the ground floor is a tasting room and wine shop with wine accessories, clothing, books, etc. There is also a vaulted Library Wine Cellar which houses some of their past vintages.

On the lower floor, there is a double-vaulted wine cellar and the Enoteca Lounge, where there are 12 framed menus from White House dinners where Ferrari-Carano wines were served.

Ferrari-Carano offers two types of tastings - a $5 tasting of four of their twelve Classic (lower-cost) wines, and a $15 tasting of four of their eleven limited release wines, which are only available for purchase at the winery. The $5 fee is refunded with the purchase of a bottle of wine. The $15 fee is refunded with the purchase of $80 worth of wine. We chose the $5 tasting.

We were actually given five wines to taste. We chose all reds and they were all very nice. The prices below are without the substantial wine club discount:

- 2009 Siena from Sonoma County, 76% Sangiovese, 16% Malbec, and 8% Syrah - $25. Sangiovese is a Tuscan grape.

- 2009 Merlot from Sonoma County, 93% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Petite Sirah - $25

- 2008 Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley, 86% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane - $24

- 2007 Villa Fiore Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley - $17

- 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley, 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Syrah, 3% Petit Verdot - $30.

After enjoying the tasting, we looked at the library cellar and the cellar on the lower level. Then we walked outside and enjoyed views of vineyards against a backdrop of beautiful low hills in the warm afternoon sun. Leaves on some of the vines reflected reddish autumn colors.

After leaving the winery, we drove about a mile to see Lake Sonoma, a large lake set in forested mountains (http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/lake_sonoma/index.html). The park is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which built the dam that created the lake, which has 50 miles of shoreline. The park offers boating, camping, hiking, etc. We went to experience the marvelous views. We drove to a viewing area high up on a hill over the lake. The view was absolutely spectacular.

Lake Sonoma