Over the years, Domaine Carneros has been one of my all-time favorite spots to taste in the Napa Valley. Domaine Carneros towers over the valley, showcasing sweeping views and also an electric tasting menu to pair with their ebullient sparkling wines. It was back in the 1970s that Claude Taittinger, of famed Champagne house Taittinger, began his search for a good spot to make California Sparkling Wine. Finally in 1987 he selected a 138-acre parcel in the Carneros region of the Napa Valley. The spot he selected is truly unique, as it has a massive maritime influence being perched near the bay. The vineyard is quite windy and produces highly concentrated berries that are very small in size.
A few years back Domaine Carneros hired Remi Cohen to serve as CEO and help with sparkling winemaker Zak Miller and Pinot Noir winemaker TJ Evans.. She took over Napa pioneer Eileen Crane, who had been crafting sensational, age-worthy sparkling wines in the Napa Valley for over 30 years. These are wines that age brilliantly as in the past year I have tried more than ten year old bottles of her ‘Le Reve’ which is one of the premier sparkling wines that you will find in North America.
I adored the new 2015 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Reve’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 96) which is very dense and has a wonderful sense of nerve and salinity from this warm vintage. A stunning new Pinot Noir is their 2019 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Ciel Serein’ (OB, 94) which is very dense and might be the finest rendition of this wine that I have yet tasted. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://www.domainecarneros.com Here are the new sparkling wines by Domaine Carneros
2018 Domaine Carneros ‘Brut Rose’ Sparkling Wine- The gorgeous 2018 Domaine Carneros ‘Brut Rose’ Sparkling Wine is made from mostly estate Pinot Noir (58%) with the remainder Chardonnay. Given .9G/L dosage, the ‘Brut Rose’ offers delicate pomegranate seed and lemon blossom notes with suggestions of bright pear. The palate reveals a very soft mousse, making this sumptuous on the attack. Warm this beautiful wine up a bit to savor the full gauntlet of red fruits and stony/salty nuances. Drink 2022-2029- 92
2015 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Reve Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine- The brilliant new 2015 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Reve Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine is a warm vintage masterpiece by winemaker Zak Miller. Given a small amount of dosage (.9G/L), this slowly unveils delicate white tea and lemon oil aromas with biscuit notes. The palate is deep and concentrated, with a silky mousse. Heady citrus oil flavors combine with cashew nut, juicy nectarine and Japanese pear notes, with lighter ginger accents. This is refined, highly nuanced, sparkling wine that also deftly reflects this warm vintage. With more and more air this becomes more intense and more complex. Enjoy this masterful effort now and over the next fifteen years and don’t serve too cold to take in the fabulous range of flavors and aromatics. Drink 2022-2037- 96
2019 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Ciel Serein’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Ciel Serein’ comes from estate Pinot Noir vines (mostly Dijon 667) planted between 2002 and 2004. Once on the nose this shows off beautiful red rose petals and red currant aromas alongside salted cranberry and ripe red cherry. The palate is exceedingly soft and shows off serious weight and wonderful length. Complex and utterly delicious with its deep core of red fruits and blood orange zest accents, this is beautiful Pinot Noir to enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2022-2036- 94
2019 Domaine Carneros ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 Domaine Carneros ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir was stored for ten months in French oak prior to bottling. It is very juicy and approachable now with cherry cola, Linzer torte, and stony minerals that mingle with a light dusting of salinity. Enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2022-2032- 92