The Tasting Panel magazine

UP Sarah Quider loves aromas that inspire the senses: peaches, floral blossoms, honey nectar—the fragrances and characters in many luxuriously perfumed or steely crisp or fruit-stony white wines. On the other end of the olfactory pendulum, Quider learned the definition of odor overload when she worked for the Pacific State Marine Fisheries Commis- sion, one of her first jobs out of Sonoma State, biology degree in hand. "My job was to extract ear bones out of Pacific rock- fish," she told THE TASTING PANEL, scrunching her nose as the memory persisted. "The smells—they were just so not me!" Finding a job lead in the newspaper for a temporary assistant during harvest, she knew she was heaven-scent when she walked into a winery oozing with notes of pineapple, apples and summer peaches. "No fish smells," she quips. Aside from her sensitive nose and attuned palate, Quider adores the scientific side of winemaking, includ- ing working with bacteria and yeast. Her first full harvest was in 2006 (she began as assistant winemaker in 2003) as white wine winemaker for Ferrari-Carano. The winery's white portfolio—from the stunning reputation of its Fumé Blanc, to its respected and reputable Chardonnays—has always held flagship status at the Sonoma winery. With Quider's full concentration, under the leadership of Don and Rhonda Carano, and drawing on the winery's estate vineyard properties in Alexander Valley, Russian River, Dry Creek Valley and Carneros, Ferrari-Carano's range of expressive whites continues to blossom. The 2007 Whites "My job is to preserve the fruit and deliver that character to the bottle," Quider notes, pouring a glass of the Ferrari-Carano 2007 Alexander Valley Char- donnay (SRP $23). "And '07 was a fabulous year that shows in the freshness and intensity of the concentrated fruit." Uninhibited and fresh, ripe apple and floral succulence shine in a slightly spiced, obvious com- plexity from multiple clones in multiple vineyards. Just released this month, the Ferrari-Carano 2007 Tre Terre Russian River Chardonnay ($32) may be the best vintage yet of this classic. Vanilla and maple expand across the mouth, a richness that still allows the acidity to break through, along with mouth-watering apples and white peach. Ferrari-Carano's bigger, caramel- and graham crack- er–indulgent white, the 2007 Reserve Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay ($35), scales back on the oak and manages to focus on balanced fruit. The apricots on the finish line are preceded by a long roster of other flavors, including mandarin, fig, hazelnut and pear. Ferrari-Carano 2008 Russian River Pinot Grigio (SRP $17) conjures up a lovely Alsace floral and fruity style, capturing just-sliced melon and peach, tangy tan- gerine and a mineral back.  / the tasting panel / september 2009 Heaven Scent UpFront with Sarah Quider Ferrari-Carano's Sarah Quider leads the white wine program.

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