The 2009 Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc is a blend of vineyard lots from various appellations of Sonoma County - Dry Creek, Alexander and Russian River Valleys. Fruit arrived with larger yields this year, which was surprising because of low rainfall amounts during the spring and very mild weather throughout the growing season. The happy result was deliciously flavored and well-balanced Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Harvest began late- August and was completed the beginning of October.

When the Sauvignon Blanc grapes arrive at the winery, each lot is gently crushed, de- temmed and pressed into stainless steel tanks for 48 hours of cold settling. The juice is either transferred to stainless steel tanks or older French oak barrels for fermentation. The wine in barrels is sur lie aged and stirred every two weeks for four months. Individual lots are treated separately until blending to create the final Fumé Blanc blend.

Since 1985, Ferrari-Carano has been a leading producer of world class, nationally acclaimed wines. Vintage after vintage, the wines exhibit a remarkable consistency of style and elegance. Unlike their corporate competitors, Don and Rhonda Carano's uncompromising commitment to quality and excellence is a reflection of their desire to produce memorable wines that enhance the pleasures of gracious entertaining and not focus on short-term financial goals.

Ferrari-Carano vineyard practices are customized to match the particular characteristics of each vineyard to help the vines produce the best fruit possible, and to in turn, achieve the best wine possible.

Directed by Don Carano and orchestrated under the supervision of Steve Domenichelli, Director of Vineyard Operations, these practices are extremely labor intensive. Steve and his team implement irrigation and nutrient regimes, trellis system and canopy management, rootstock and clone combinations, and pruning and cane selection for each vineyard site and each block within a vineyard. Because of Sonoma County's diverse geological makeup, even within one vineyard parcel there may be several different types of soil with different degrees of nutrients for vines and water-holding capacity.

In addition, Steve and his team practice sustainable farming techniques, such as recycling organic matter for use as mulch in the vineyards, planting cover crops and other plant species to avoid soil erosion, add desirable nutrients back to the soil and to attract desirable insects, and integrating animals to naturally enhance biodiversity and nutrient recycling.