Domaine Carneros Brut '04
The Nitty Gritty:
- Vintage: 2004
- Varietal: Sparkling
- Winery: Domaine Carneros
- Region: Napa Valley
- Country: United States
- Price: About $27
- Rating: 80/100
- Tags: sparkling
Ok, so I know it’s not TECHNICALLY Champagne, but this is the closest thing to French Champagne that I’ve gotten from an American winery. It shouldn’t be surprising, because Domaine Carneros is actually Taittinger’s American venture, and it shows.
This wine consists of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes and, according to the winery, is typically aged about 3 years before its release (as opposed to many sparklings, which are NV (non-vintage).
The bubbles are tiny (which you’ve realized, by now, is actually a good thing) and again, the initial taste is crisp on the palate. But the Domaine Carneros brings out the California with its Chardonnay grapes — they add a creamy depth that only a California-ripened grape can, but by no means appear overgrown, syrupy, or heavy. It’s an impressive feat to pull off.
Enjoy this baby with some lobstah. ‘Nuff said.
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By Lauren McNally
Lauren B. McNally is a communications consultant in Washington, D.C., who spends most of her free time exploring culinary and oenological pursuits with friends. She hails from Maine and graduated from Bowdoin College, completing additional study at the University of Cambridge in the U.K.(where she found the dining hall cuisine rather offensive and repulsive, as opposed to that of the top-ranked Bowdoin Dining Service). Her palate is ever-evolving but she includes California Zinfandels, Cotes du Rhone, and white wines from Burgundy and the Loire Valley among her current favorites. Her least favorite wine-related phrase: “I don’t like _.” Lauren also enjoys cooking Italian and French cuisine, and has an unnatural obsession with Gorgonzola and pancetta.
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