I poured the Domaine Carneros 2003 vintage at our wedding in 2007, so I’m kinda enamored of this winery. I looked back at old reviews and have loved it ever since the first time I tried it back in 2003. My affection endures into this vintage. Domaine Carneros is the California outpost of France’s famed Taittinger Champagne house, located in a opulent chateau on the eastern side of Carneros in Napa Valley. In 2008, they received certifed organic status for their vineyards — the first sparkling wine house to achieve that in America — and even employ solar panels for electricity. For icing on the cake, the winemaker, Eileen Crane, is female. Domaine Carneros keeps getting it right.
The 2005 Brut tastes bready, elegant and refined. Loaded with red apples, citrus, and even a slight hint of tomato. Finishes dry and minerally. Simply fabulous. Sw=1. $20. 4.5 stars.
