Winemaker Notes
This very focused and elegant wine displays lovely notes of lime blossom, pears, and summer herbs with a hint of light toastiness. A round wine, the palate displays an array of fruit nuances of lime zest, lemon meringue, green apple and a touch of green tea.
Pairs well with seafood and meat, especially oysters and filet mignon. The winemaker's favorite is with roast chicken and a light brie
Blend: 62% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 3% Pinot Gris
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Dynamic yet elegantly refined, with expressive Asian pear, raspberry and toasted spice flavors that build vibrancy toward a long, steely finish. Drink now through 2019
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Wine Enthusiast
This is made from a majority of Pinot Noir alongside Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Aged three-and-a-half years in bottle, it's complex and approachable in equal measure. Cherry, peach and a twist of lime round out the lush palate, with integrated acidity underlining its freshness.
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.