1999 Carneros Cuvée

The Carneros Cuvée is our tête de cuvée, it represents the best fruit from our vineyards and the culmination of our winemaking experience with the art of blending. The 1999 Carneros Cuvée is a blend of Pinot Noir (55%) and Chardonnay (45%), encouraging a synthesis of brilliant fruit characteristics in the bouquet and texture. With nine years en tirage and an additional year aging on the cork, this decade-old wine is remarkably fresh, rich and complex, the ultimate statement of our house style.

Tasting Notes

A complex, effusive nose offers ripe apple and rich Asian pear aromas interlaced with bright berry notes, hints of marzipan and biscuity, toasty yeast tones. On the palate, this wine is creamy, plush and remarkably fresh, with layers of lemon curd, baked apple, vanilla and pear flavors intermingling in a very elegant, vibrant and enduring finish.

Winemaking

The 1999 vintage was noteworthy for us as the first year in which we experienced low crop yields that occurred naturally, without any cluster thinning. Normally, a small crop tends to ripen more quickly, but the long, mild growing season extended hang time as we waited from one week to ten days longer than in an average year to harvest, allowing high grape acids to come into ideal balance. The combination of small crop and greater hang time produced truly mature grapes of outstanding quality, with intense flavor concentration and bright acidity.

• 100% Carneros appellation fruit
• Grapes were whole-cluster pressed to minimize extraction of bitter compounds
• The cuvée was made exclusively from free-run juice
• The base wines were fermented in stainless steel tanks at 60°F to preserve delicacy
• Twelve base wines were carefully blended to create the final cuvée
• The wine was aged nine years on the yeast to develop very complex flavors and a pinpoint mousse
• Bottle tags have handwritten Tiraged and Disgorged dates

View Acclaim for All Wines

Food Affinities

Pairs wonderfully with seafood, from raw oysters or sashimi to cracked crab, caviar or lobster. Excellent with smoked salmon, grilled Ahi tuna, steamed mussels, roast chicken, risotto with wild mushrooms or aged Gouda cheese. Seasoning affinities include lime zest, sweet fennel and sesame seeds.

1999 Carneros Cuvée

Tasting Notes

Winemaking

Food Affinities

Blend

Previous Vintages