Top: Domaine Carneros, Bottom: Ch de la Marquetterie
Domaine Carneros is home to one of the First Ladies of sparkling wine Eileen Crane. She has created a range that holds its own identity whilst retaining the classic elegance and finesse of Taittinger. Head hunted by Claude Taittinger himself, Eileen's appointment was a shrewd move in developing world class sparkling wines.
One thing the Americans have down pat is a great winery tour. I was fortunate enough to have the sole attention of Bruce Stirling who took me through a physical tour and also a tasting tour. I tried the Brut 2006, Le Reve 2004, Rose 2006, Demi-Sec 2006, Late Disgorged 2004 and the Blanc de
Noirs 2006. Across the board the wines were an impressive balance of ripe Californian fruits with crisp and refreshing acidity alongside some complex developing flavours.
Being a very English girl I was particularly enamoured with the older sparklers, Le Reve 2004 and the Late Disgorged Brut 2004. The hints of complexity and age that had come through on the 2006 had opened up a little more , showing richer bready and yeasty notes alongside the still ripe fruit flavours.
Although both wines had the capacity to age longer, the extra couple of years had made a real difference and I thought at the time how interesting it would be to see just how old it is possible to go with New World sparklers. The oldest I tried on this trip was a 1999 from Gloria Ferrer that showed some real class and sophistication without being tired. I think the goal for the next trip will be to see how old I can go and see if the fizz will hold up.
Sadly this year did not bring the opportunity to visit Louis Roederer in France but the long drive out to Philo to visit the Roederer Estate is well worth it (fill up before you go though, limited petrol stations). As you pull up the long drive to the winery on top of the hill then you are not only rewarded with an amazing view but a cracking selection of wines that are not readily available outside the US.
In a sleek and simple tasting room I tasted my way through Brut Rose Multi-Vintage, L'Ermitage 2002, Brut MV Magnum, Extra Dry MV and three still wines; Chardonnay 2007, Pinot Noir Rose 2009 and Pinot Noir 2007. Back at the Majestic ranch in York we would always recommend the Louis Roederer Magnum mainly because it's a great Champagne but also because it adds a little something extra in a large format.
The same is definitely true of Roederer Estate in magnum. If you're celebrating anything Stateside, get your sweaty little paws on one of these gems. I love alternate format bottles anyway, there's nothing like a little half bottle of fizz and a good book for a long train journey and a magnum or jeroboam for big celebration (train journey not necessary).
I'm going to go off piste for a moment and recommend a still wine, it's OK I'll have a lie down shortly. I am something of a Francophile; I love France as a place, as a people and as a provider of wine to me. Thankfully Roederer Estate have taken some of that French style and skill in creating a Pinot Noir Rose that would give most Sancerre's a run for their money. A delicate salmon pink with crunchy red fruit flavours, cherries, raspberries and red apples with hints of vanilla, this wine is crisp, fresh and great drinking. The lightness of touch and skill in winemaking shows that California can produce very good still rose that is completely alien to the terrifying day-glo sticky sweet nightmares they are better known for.
Aside from the joy of a magnum, my sparkling recommendation from Roederer Estate has to be the L'Ermitage 2002. 52%Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir this wine is complex and interesting with hints of baked apple, lemon, almonds and toasty notes. Slightly honeyed with hints of white flowers its youthfulness betrays the eight years ageing it has had.
Roederer Estate was a fine end to my sparkling tour of the Napa Valley. Well not quite the end. I went for a sneaky glass of Dom Perignon 2002 at Napa Style. Sat next to the roaring fire, surrounded by enormous squash and pumpkins I wasn't drinking a local fizz but at that moment I couldn't have been anywhere else in the world and nor would I want to have been.
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