The winery’s expansive tasting facility (which also includes a club members’ lounge and a retail shop) is nestled under an old-growth oak grove that offers shade and serenity.
Ask me about a perfect pairing, and I’ll answer straightaway: celebrations and bubbles. After all, what better way to get the party started than a toast to togetherness and a wine that dances on your tongue. And it’s not just for large gatherings or holiday parties. Sometimes, all you need is a friend and an afternoon.
The Culinary Journey experience at Domaine Chandon is a leisurely stroll through the wonders of sparkling wine. A three-course menu (four dishes, total) is paired at each turn with a different expression of effervescence. As you enjoy your meal (there’s plenty of food to make this a lunch destination), you’ll also learn about different types of sparkling wine and how to match them with what’s on the plate.
The menu changes quarterly, but the food we tasted will be available until the first of the year. Chef Peter Cham works in collaboration with winemaker Pauline Lhote to bring out the best in the wine.
Start with a classic
The winery’s expansive tasting facility (which also includes a club members’ lounge and a retail shop) is nestled under an old-growth oak grove that offers shade and serenity, and a large lawn is edged with a variety of semi-private gathering spots. Wandering paths cross the property, inviting guests to stay a little longer and enjoy a little more.
Inside the seated tasting room, arched wooden ceilings mimic the inside of a barrel, large windows allow plenty of natural light, and clean, modern furnishings and details give an air of refinement.
We’re poured some Russian River Valley Vintage Blanc de Blancs, 2018, a crisp, dry wine with a hint of salinity (grapes are sourced from Sonoma Coast). It’s matched with an upgraded classic: house-made potato chips accompanied by a dip of creme fraiche, chives, caramelized onion and Regiis Ova caviar. Homey and elevated. What a way to start!
Compliment and contrast
The next two shareable plates demonstrated the versatility of sparkling wine. The first, a fig and goat cheese salad, was paired with Chandon’s Reserve Demi-Sec, a semi-sweet wine with green apple on the nose and a mouthful of ripe, juicy peach. The wine perfectly echoed the sweet, creamy notes of the dish.
A sweet potato hummus and a chewy garlic flatbread were paired with the Réserve Club Cuvée. In contrast to the demi-sec’s rounded mouthfeel and synchronous food pairing, the cuvée’s drier profile and hint of sharpness cut through the warm and rich fare.
A decadent ending
A choice among four main dishes, each paired with a different Chandon release, finds us each choosing a different direction (and both wishing for stretchy pants). Cured trout “lox” on a beet salad is divine with a Los Carneros Vintage Brut, 2017. A traditional blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and meunier, the wine is juicy and fresh with a yeasty nose—basically, what I think of when I imagine a sparkling wine. It plays well with the smoky, salty and sweet dish.
Meanwhile, the Étoile Brut is decadent and complex, with stone fruit and baking spices. It pairs beautifully with a rich, succulent wild mushroom pasta dish.
We close with a taste of Chandon’s Garden Spritz Tea. It’s crafted by blending Darjeeling, Ceylon and Assam teas (infused with the oil of bergamot) into a traditional dosage liqueur that’s added to Chandon’s sparkling wine after disgorgement. The result is bright, fragrant and fruity, with tea-like tannin.
In all, Chandon has designed a pairing menu that beautifully demonstrates how sparkling wine can (and should) be brought to the table at every opportunity.
Did You Know?
The sun never sets on the Chandon empire. Beginning in Argentina in 1959, the winery now also has properties in California (1973), Brazil (1973), Australia (1986), China (2013) and India (2014). Dosage elements for its Garden Spritz Tea are sourced from its property in India.
Domaine Chandon
1 California Dr.
Yountville, CA
707-204-7461
Chandon.com
Open Thursday to Monday during winter
Tasting and experiences available 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by reservation
Walk-ins welcome for tastings until 4 p.m.
The Wine Shop is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Culinary Journey
The menu, crafted with seasonal ingredients and inspired by a flight of Chandon wines, makes for an experience meant to linger long in memory. 2 to 8 guests; 2 hours. $136 per guest.
Several other tastings and events are available—visit chandon.com.
