Winemaker Notes
Chandon Brut presents intense and fresh fruit flavors with subtle complexity and displays a vibrant straw yellow hue accompanied by an energetic bead and mousse. Notes of green apple, citrus, pear, biscuit, almond, and white flowers enhance its refreshing character, making it an excellent aperitif or a perfect pairing with salty or creamy dishes such as oysters, Caesar salad, fried chicken, or calamari.
Blend: 73% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Noir, 1% Meunier
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Elegant and vibrant aromas of crisp apples, zesty yellow citrus and touches of creamy notes. Very smooth and soft on the palate, harmonious, with fine bubbles. Blend: 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir.
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is lively, with aromas of pear, yellow apple, yellow plum and notes of orange blossoms on the nose. Flavors on the palate are white peach and white nectarine, with a firm mousse midpalate with fine bubbles. Blood-orange cream, hazelnut, pink grapefruit and a crisp, silky finish dance across the palate.
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The Somm Journal
The luxe packaging may be brand-new, but when it comes to what’s inside, Domaine Chandon knows full well not to fix what ain’t broke: The multiregional, traditionalmethod blend of 73% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Noir, and 1% Pinot Meunier is a sure bet for everyday bubbly. Scents of ripe Anjou pear, apple butter, and sweet florals attend a palate that starts out crisp as lace, then quickly spreads out on the mid-palate, juicy to the finish with apricot nectar and grapefruit rin
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Tasting Panel
Appealingly reliable, reliably appealing: That could be Chandon Brut's tagline. The nose on this traditional-method blend of 73% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Noir, and 1% Meunier is a ray of sunshine, combining ripe pear and citrus (pomelo, lemon curd) with white peach and the slightest hint of tarragon. The curvaceous palate is likewise almost playful in its vibrancy.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I tasted and retailed the first release of the Chandon Brut in December 1976. I had visited Domaine Chandon's offices in Yountville before the winery existed. I think the winery was called M&H Company, but I'll have to refer to my earliest notebooks if my notes still exist. Domaine Chandon Yountville marked a new direction for the world of California sparkling wines, and the industry has never looked back. The Chandon Brut is steady as it has always been. TASTING NOTES: This wine is subtle, fresh, almost complex, and perfect. Its aromas and flavors of dried herbs, tart fruit, and chalk would be a beautiful way to start dinner. Pair it with a raw seafood bar or just enjoy it by itself. (Tasted: July 18, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
Red apple, lemon rind and some brioche character. Smooth bubbles and pleasant, fresh acidity helps balance the generosity here, giving a vibrant feel. Not complex, but delightful. A blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. Bottled in March 2021. Drink now.
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Wine Spectator
Fresh and expressive, featuring vibrant lemon, vanilla crème brûlée and spice flavors that zip along the finish.
California enjoys a long history and proven reputation as an admirable source of sparkling wines. Agoston Haraszthy, who established Buena Vista Winery in the mid 1850s, first attempted to make traditional method sparkling wine in California in the 1870s. Shortly thereafter Korbel followed, and with great success. Today domestic producers such as Schramsberg, Iron Horse and J. Wine Co remain at the forefront of the market.
Since the 1970s the state has consistently attracted the attention and investment of large and respected European and French-based firms who are responsible for Domaine Chandon, Mumm-Napa Valley, Roederer Estate and Domaine Carneros (Taittinger), to name a few. Anderson Valley and Carneros remain standout regions for top quality Pinot noir and Chardonnay for these.