When I led tours at Chappellet, people often complained that 10 am was too early to start drinking wine. But to get in a full day of wine tasting, it's best to get an early start. Personally, I find bubbles to be more palatable first thing in the morning than still wine. The beautiful, elegant, and stately Domaine Carneros is a wonderful place to begin (especially if you're driving up from Marin or San Francisco).
Domaine Carneros is designed more like a restaurant with individual tables (inside and out) where guests can have an intimate tasting experience. You can order a flight of 3 or 4 "tastes" or you can order full glasses. When I visited last week with friends (that's me and Jasmine above), we ordered 3 different flights. The sparkling wines dazzled us; there were a lot of empty glasses on the table very quickly.
The 2005 Le Reve Blanc de Blancs is absolutely divine; in French, the name means "the dream"
and it is made of 100% Chardonnay grapes. It is strikes the perfect balance between crisp and creamy; with delicate bubbles and subtle notes of pear, toasted bread and hazelnut. At $95 a bottle, it is a very special occasion wine.For everyday drinking--because sparkling wine shouldn't be reserved only for special occasions--the 2007 Brut is a fabulous choice ($26 per bottle). Refined and restrained with crisp minerality and delicate flavors of Granny Smith apple and lemon zest. It is refreshing as an aperatif or delicious paired with decadent cheeses.
www.domainecarneros.com; @domainecarneros (twitter)
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