Brut Vintage Cuvée 2018
Trade Tools
America / Carneros
The Vintage Brut Cuvée is the signature wine of Domaine Carneros. It encompasses the widest range of estate clones and vineyard blocks of the winery’s collection. The tapestry of flavors that result, married with the inherent finesse of the cool Carneros fruit, create wines of depth and complexity that are enhanced by a minimum of three years of bottle age sur lie in the cellar before release.
93 Points
Wine Spectator Insider
2018 vintage
99 Points
Sunset International Wine Competition
2018 vintage
Harvest Note
2018 had the coolest temperatures we had seen since 2011, allowing an extended hang time for the fruit and longer flavor development. We had only one significant rainfall event, which occurred the first days of October. These elements translated to the perfect combination of a high-yield and high-quality vintage that winemakers dream about.
Tasting Note
Aromas of honey, pear, and lemon zest with a hint of light toastiness. On the palate, the wine reveals nuances of baked apple, almond paste, and brioche that complement the notes from the nose.
Technical Data
GRAPES: 57% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, and 3% Pinot Gris
APPELLATION: Carneros
PH: 3.1
ACIDITY: 0.77g/100ml
ABV: 12%
DOSAGE: 0.9%
AGING: Aged a full three and a half years in our cellar to enhance complexity
Unique Selling Points
- Made primarily from estate-grown, green certified Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes
- Bottle aged for more than 3 years, yielding a toasty aroma and fine, pinpoint bubbles
- With proper cellaring, this wine will develop further for decades
“The first obligation of any wine is to be delicious.”
Eileen Crane, Founding Winemaker
About the Grape
Chardonnay
Though it has a distinctive profile, Chardonnay reflects other factors such as soil composition and vinification technique. Chardonnay is a reliable, hardy and prolific vine whose only real vulnerabilities are frost and uneven development of fruit.
Pinot Noir
In France, makes a silky, deceptively powerful wine of elegant, complex aromas and subtle, red fruit flavors, with earthy, floral, mushroom and mineral notes. In California, shows ripe, sweet characters.
