Domaine Chandon California Sparkling Rosé

Rosé is the newest in the line of Domaine Chandon's California sparkling wines, and New Year's Day 2007 was the perfect time to pop the cork on my first bottle.  Sparkling wine is all about the bubbles, appearances, and the celebration of living in the moment.  You have to be "in the mood" and usually that mood is one of "sitting on top of the world", "everything coming up roses", maybe even looking at life through "rose colored glasses".

Chandon Rosé is a visual victory achieved by adding 10% Pinot Noir at "tirage", the time when the yeast bodies from secondary fermentation are removed from the neck of the bottle.  The Pinot Noir dosage is added just before the final cork is pushed into the bottle.

Chandon describes the French Champagne méthode traditionnelle used to make this and all their California sparkling wines.  Tom Tiburzi, Winemaker, has come a long way from his childhood days when his parents introduced him to "sparkling wine" by way of mixing still wine with "7-Up".  Now he leads the sparkling wine efforts at this Napa outpost located in Yountville.

The base wine is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, picked a bit early to give the finished result a crisp light side.  The Pinot Noir is picked fully ripe providing structure and bold fruit forward flavors.  A year aging on the lees (yeast bodies) provides creamy texture.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Bright salmon pink with new copper penny and warm sunset highlights, profusely bubbly.  Aromas: Generous mixed fruit preserves showing strawberry, plum, blackcurrant and apricot, plus hints of vanilla taffy and hints of toast.  Very light, lively and softly structured, barely sweet, the bright berry and citrus flavors dance across the palate.  A little pie crust shows itself in the sophisticated minerally dry finish.

Outstanding value ($16).  Alcohol content: 12.5%.

Food pairing: Very thin whole wheat toast slathered with Swiss blackcurrant preserves.

Comments

[Deb Johnson]

Where can I purchase this Chandon California Rose'? I had a small bottle of it in Vegas at dinner in which the proceeds went to cancer research and would like to purchase this wonderful sparkling wine in my home town/state of Columbus, Indiana.