Saturday, January 27, 2018

During our stay at Brewery Gulch Inn  we enjoyed Fathers & Daughters Cellars wines and learned that our Host Guy Pacurar was one of the owners.  How all this came about proved to be a most interesting story.  It begins when two families came together through marriage.
Kurt Schoeneman, after a successful career as a Bay area builder, decided he would like to grow grapes and his daughter, Sarah Schoeneman aided in finding the right place which turned out to be a  vineyard in the Anderson Valley, this in 1996.  Named the Ferrington vineyard, under Kurt, it soon gained a reputation for its premium quality grapes which were being sold to wineries in the region. 
Then Sarah and Guy Pacurar married and the idea of using Ferrington grapes to make their own wines developed and in 2012 the first vintage was made as a daughter was born to Guy and Sarah named Ella.  Also involved was Guy's daughter, Taylor. So the name Fathers & Daughters Cellars was chosen to  launch what has become a most successful brand.
Its first vintages were Pinot Noir, the varietal that has brought  Ferrington Vineyards fame but also Sauvignon Blanc from the same vineyard.  Acting as winemaker is Phil Baxter who has his own wines under the name Baxter Wines. The Fathers & Daughters wines and label have received accolades at wine events.  The first wines released were  a 2012 Pinot Noir and then a 2013 Sauvignon Blanc.  They were released in 2015 and the Pinot Noir is entitled Ella's Reserve after Guy and Sarah's daughter.  This was followed by further releases of Pinot Noir as well as  Chardonnay and  Gewurztraminer, all from the Ferrington Vineyard.
Other bottlings include The Dance, a blend of old vine Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay.  Sarah's Rustic Bubbles is a most unusual wine, made from Chardonnay grapes, in the "petillant-naturel style', it is sparkling when pressed into the bottle, then crown capped and allowed to ferment without disgorgement or dosage as is the process with most sparkling wines.  Opening a bottle of Sarah's Rustic Bubbles produces some sound as the bubbles take away the remaining yeast.  We found the flavor delightful.
In this Writer's discussion of Fathers & Daughters wines with Guy Pacurar at his Brewery Gulch Inn he told us that quality of the wines was most important and were never released until they had properly matured.  At present all the grapes are from the Ferrington Vineyard which is included in the Anderson Valley Appellation. 
 This appellation which has become well known for the quality of its grapes and wines in a relatively short period of time.  At present Ella's Reserve Pinot Noir is available in the 2013 and 2014 vintages, the Sauvignon Blanc in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Chardonnay in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and Gewurztraminer in 2015 and 2016 vintages. 
To purchase Fathers & Daughters wines at present visit their website www.FandDCellars.com.  Their address P.O. Box 29, Philo, Ca. 95466, Telephone 707 813-1137.

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