My wife and I sat down, socially distanced and looked out across the valley. One of the most beautiful sites in Napa, Domaine Carneros is a stunning winery in the Carneros region of Napa Valley. Taking inspiration from a French chateau in Champagne, Domaine Carneros towers over the valley, showcasing sweeping views of the Napa Valley. Claude Taittinger of famed Champagne house Taittinger, began his search for a good spot to make California Sparkling Wine in the late 1970s. Finally in 1987 he selected a 138-acre parcel in the Carneros region of the Napa Valley.
Domaine Carneros has a new CEO, Remi Cohen who in 2015 was named to Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 recognition as a tastemaker and influencer in the Napa Valley. Sitting with Remi she talked about their winery program and the success built by famed Napa pioneer Eileen Crane provided to Domaine Carneros for 33 years. Tasting through the new lineup of wines, I was and have been consistently impressed how good their lineup across the board has been.
I absolutely love the NV Domaine Carneros ‘Cuvee de la Pompadour’ Rose Sparkling Wine (OB, 92) which is a really great flavor and aromatic range for the price. I was absolutely blown away with the 2013 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Reve’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 95) which is amongst the best sparkling wines made in North America. The wine was initially inspired by Champagne Taittinger’s Comtes de Champagne, as their tête-de-cuvée, and impresses its silky mouthfeel and wonderful veil of tension. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://www.domainecarneros.com Here are the new sparkling wines by Domaine Carneros
NV Domaine Carneros ‘Cuvee de la Pompadour’ Rose Sparkling Wine- The NV Domaine Carneros ‘Cuvee de la Pompadour’ Sparkling Wine is an outstanding effort from this storied Carneros estate. The wine is named after Madame de Pompadour (the great courtesan and mistress of Louis XV) who is credited with introducing Champagne to the court. A lovely salmon hue, this shows pretty guava and teaberry tones on the palate, with minerals a nice dusting of salinity. Fresh and vibrant, the ‘Madame de Pompadour’ will cellar well for the next decade. Drink 2020-2030- 92
2013 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Reve’ Sparkling Wine- Always 100% Chardonnay, the 2013 ‘Le Reve’ is a tour de force from this storied Carneros house. The mousse here is highly refined. Salted biscuit aromatic tones grab your attention with Meyer lemon zest and shades of wild mushroom and toasted hazelnuts all take shape in the glass. The silly mousse is downright incredible. Bright kumquat zest and sourdough bread tones mingle with macadamia nut and suggestions of white truffles on this complex palate. This is salty and savory California sparkling wine at its best. Beautifully textured, with great length, this stunning new bottling will enjoy a very long life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2035- 95
2018 Domaine Carneros ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir shows black cherry and cola on the nose with shades of sandalwood that all mingle in the glass. The palate is soft and round with layers of bright red and dark fruits with cola tones giving this a hedonistic edge. Drink 2020-2027- 90
2018 Domaine Carneros ‘The Famous Gate’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘The Famous Gate’ is a barrel selection Pinot Noir by Domaine Carneros, as they began making this bottling back in 1992. Once on the nose, you are awoken to bright red rose petals woven together with red cherry, guava puree and baking spices. The palate is soft and silky with a wonderful sense of mouthfeel. The length and tension here is seriously good as the core of red fruits mingle with minerals and cola tones. While obviously quite rich, the elegance of this wine is really compelling. Every bit outstanding, this fantastic new bottling is great to savor right now, and will provide drinking enjoyment for another fifteen years. Drink 2020-2035- 94