Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Creamy, crisp and luscious, with layered Asian pear, brioche and fresh ginger flavors that build vibrancy on the rich, lingering finish.
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Decanter
From Champagne Taittinger's Napa Valley estate, this elegant sparkler is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with 2% Pinot Gris. Pretty nose of delicate citrus and blossom, with subtle creamy toastiness. Fresh and delicate palate with persistent bubbles, notes of green apple and citrus, plus brisk acidity for palate-cleansing crispness. A perfect aperitif. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025
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.