Elegance, crispness, and a persistent mousse of bubbles are hallmarks of the world’s finest sparkling wines. While Champagne is often seen as the gold standard, the New World has demonstrated its ability to produce exceptional sparklers, particularly in California’s cooler regions, where vineyards benefit from the refreshing sea breezes of San Pablo Bay.
Domaine Carneros exemplifies this success. Owned by the prestigious Taittinger Champagne house, it showcases how the finesse and craftsmanship of Champagne can be beautifully replicated in the heart of Napa Valley.
Founded in 1987, Domaine Carneros produces its wines exclusively from fruit grown on their six estate vineyards totaling 400 acres. Of these, 250 acres are dedicated to Pinot Noir and 150 acres to Chardonnay, the essential varieties for crafting quality sparkling wines. The estate is renowned for its elegant offerings, including Le Rêve Brut and Rosé, all crafted using the traditional method.
Roederer Estate, another standout producer, was established in 1982 by Jean-Claude Rouzaud, former president of Champagne Louis Roederer in France.
Located on a 580-acre estate in Anderson Valley, just 125 miles north of San Francisco. Roederer Estate uses only estate-grown fruit in all of its blends and employs the traditional method of second fermentation in a bottle in all of its offerings. The addition of oak-aged reserve wines further enhances the complexity and character of their elegant line up.
My Recommendations are the following selections from these two producers:
Roederer Estate Brut Rosé, NV $39
Roederer Brut L' Ermitage 2017 $75
Domaine Carneros Rosé 2020 $47
Domaine Carneros Brut 2020 $39
Domaine Carneros Le Rêve 2016 $125
Both producers offer styles that go from crisp and citrusy to rich and toasty, reflecting California’s diverse terroirs. Stylistically, California sparkling wines present riper fruit characteristics than typical Champagne while preserving their yeasty/briochy complexity and minerality of fine sparkling wines.
As always, give them a try, and if you do, tag me on Instagram. Cheers! Silvina
#thoughtsoflawina #californiasparkling #roedererestate #domainedecarneros #drinkupamerica
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
