130 VIEWS
Pinterest LinkedIn LINE

Today, Carneros and Rutherford.

In Carneros, I went to Domaine Carneros. This winery is owned by the Taittinger family and is famous for its sparkling wines made using the méthode champenoise. In particular, its Rosé and Rêve are available only here. I joined the tour starting at 12 o’clock, received an explanation of the méthode champenoise, toured the production facility, and then attended a tasting. The tasting menu had 2 courses, sparkling and red wine, with 3 varieties in each. The sparkling wines were Brut, Rosé, and Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs. Perhaps it depends on the climate, but this time I liked the richness of the Rêve. Incidentally, Rêve is a vintage wine, which is unusual for a sparkling wine.

The reds consisted of Pinot Noir x 2 plus Merlot. The 2003 Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir is very smooth and easy to drink, but after a little time it goes flat. By comparison, the reserve “2003 The Famous Gate Pinot Noir” is somewhat less approachable, with a smoky character, but retains its structure over time. The 2003 Avant-Garde Merlot also seems a little dominated by acidity.

In the end, I bought a bottle of Rosé to take home. It is a gift for Michael.
(Incidentally, I also became a member of the Wine Club.)

Afterward, I headed for Niebaum-Coppola, but somehow could not find it, so I went to Peju and called it a day. Peju is a winery recommended by a friend of Suzan, who lives in Sonoma. It is a very charming place. At Peju, Daniel, whose Japanese wife is from Chōfu, let me taste various wines. Peju’s wines are a little sweet and not to my taste, though women might like them. A wine called Province is made from Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, French Colombard, and, remarkably, Chardonnay. It is very fruity. Since it was unusual, I bought a bottle. It is a gift for Owen and Sindri.

After that, I crossed the mountains and returned to Sonoma.

The spa was scheduled from 5 in the afternoon. But the hot springs here really are lukewarm. Since it was the off-season, I had the place to myself.

At around 11, I went to the bar and tried another Sonoma Pinot Noir. Once again, it was quite acidic. So that is ultimately a characteristic of Pinot, I suppose. Unlike the Domaine Carneros wine, it also had a slight sweetness that lingered in the mouth. Domaine Carneros may be called a tourist trap, but even so, I felt that it maintains a certain standard of quality.

Related posts