Domaine Carneros is a winery located in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, California. It was founded in 1987 by Champagne Taittinger, a prestigious French champagne house, with the goal of producing high-quality sparkling wine in the traditional Champagne method.
The winery’s vineyards are located on the rolling hills of the Carneros region, which is known for its cool climate and chalky soil, both of which are conducive to growing top-quality sparkling wine grapes. The vineyards are planted with a variety of grape varieties, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, which are the three primary grapes used in Champagne.
In the winemaking process, the grapes are hand-picked and carefully sorted before being gently pressed to extract the juice. The juice is then fermented in small batches, using a combination of traditional and modern techniques. After fermentation, the wine is aged on its lees (dead yeast cells) for a period of time, which adds complexity and depth to the wine.
Once the wine has reached its desired level of maturity, it is bottled and undergoes a second fermentation process, known as “méthode champenoise,” in which the wine is aged in the bottle for several more months or even years. This process creates the bubbles and sparkling character that are characteristic of sparkling wine.
Domaine Carneros produces a range of sparkling wines, including its signature Brut, a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier; a Rosé Brut, made with a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; and a Brut Le Rêve, a more rare and limited-edition wine made from 100% Pinot Noir.
In addition to its sparkling wines, Domaine Carneros also produces a variety of still wines, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Merlot.
Throughout its history, Domaine Carneros has received numerous accolades and awards for its wines, including numerous 90+ point scores from wine critics and a spot on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines list. It is considered one of the premier wineries in the Carneros region and a leader in the production of sparkling wine in California.
Visitors to Domaine Carneros can tour the winery and vineyards, taste a selection of wines in the tasting room, and enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant, which features dishes made with ingredients sourced from local farms and purveyors. The winery also offers a variety of special events and experiences throughout the year, including food and wine pairings, winemaking classes, and live music.
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Reese
a month agoMy visit to Domaine Carneros was absolutely lovely. The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable—they took their time explaining each wine in our tasting flight, which made the experience both fun and informative. The tasting room had a calm and elegant atmosphere with beautiful vineyard views through the windows. It felt peaceful and relaxing the entire time. The wines were excellent, especially the sparkling ones, and the small cheese and snack platter was a nice surprise (I honestly can’t remember if I ordered it or not!). The place was clearly popular, but it never felt crowded. I’ll definitely come back again—and yes, I’m including a video because pictures alone can’t capture how nice it was!
Deziyer McCloud
a month agoGreat experience. I strongly suggest a tasting room reservation as this place is usually packed. And aim for late afternoon, this is when things slow down a bit. Bring a camera or charge your phone because there are great photo opportunities as you make your way up the stair. Yes, I just said stairs, and there are quite a few of them, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Everyone was able to choose their own flight selection, we paired it with the caviar flight and charcuterie board. And the food tasted amazing. We bought the mimosa sugar cubes on our way in and trust, they helped with some of the flight samples. The atmosphere was warm and inviting (we opted for the indoor seating, and lucked up and landed a spot next to the blazing fireplace). Overall we had a great time, and will definitely be visiting again soon. If you have never been this is definitely one to add to your bucket list.
J.C. Lochan
2 weeks agoThis place really does do well on first impressions. The estate is beautiful, and the atmosphere really makes you feel relaxed. The tasting selections, while limited, are all quite nice, and you can't really go wrong with any of the wines they have. If you're looking for a simple, but elegant experience with a relaxing view, I'd pay this winery a quick visit for a taste of Napa Valley.
Ararat Mnatsakanyan
a month agoWe went with the Grande Tasting, which turned out to be the perfect choice for us. It includes two sparkling wines and two reds. Both the wines and food were excellent, the service was attentive, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. I’d recommend making a reservation in advance.
Shanelle S
2 weeks agoCame here with a group of six girls for a bachelorette group and had a private room booked. There is a minimum charge per person that must be met but it includes food as well, so we ordered the cheese plate as well as macarons since quite a few in our group didn’t drink. The scenery was pretty and I did like the macarons. However, my main gripe was the service. Our server Salvador was a little sus as he did not warn us beforehand that the sparkling tea infusions were whole bottles and not drinks. We purchased three bottles unknowingly and even though two were left unopened, we couldn’t send them back because he already added them to our receipt. A heads up about an order being a bottle rather than a single drink would have been much appreciated. Other than that, service was slow and I had to get up to find someone when we were trying to pay our bill.