Winemaker Notes
Aromas of white flowers, apple pie, and citrus peel are enhanced with notes of toast and vanilla. The wine is elegantly structured, round and flavorful with a signature long, creamy finish.
Delicious with double or triple cream cheeses, fish and shellfish, poultry, Asian and California cuisine.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Generous aromas of lemon zest, red apples, orange zest and brioche. The palate is medium-bodied with bright acidity and a finely beaded mousse. Very well balanced and refined, with a mineral edge. Made from 51% chardonnay and 49% pinot noir with 9 g/L dosage.
-
Wine Spectator
Lilting and refined, with delicately layered Asian pear and strawberry flavors, plus brioche and spice accents that dance on the sleek finish.
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.