Mumm Napa

	Mumm Napa   Sparkling Wine   Baked Brie en Croûte
Mumm Napa Winemaker Ludovic Dervin

When Champagne house G.H. Mumm sent Guy Devaux to the United States in 1979 to find what he deemed the best winegrowing area here, Devaux chose Napa Valley. By 1987, Mumm Napa’s winery was completed and a new era began. At his passing in the mid-1990s, Champagne-born Ludovic Dervin took the winemaking helm, using the traditional methods for which the winery is known. Today, it produces seven sparkling wines—and every grape used comes from Napa Valley. 

Visitors to the Mumm Estate can enjoy complimentary tours for an insider’s view of how and where the wine is made. The winery also has two art spaces, one with rotating collections of fine art photography, the other with a private collection of Ansel Adams’ photographs.

All that walking might build up an appetite. In which case, try this easy-to-make baked brie recipe, which Mumm pairs here with its Brut Prestige. The Brut Prestige is made with mostly Pinot Noir (51%) and Chardonnay grapes. Its floral nose blossoms into a creamy-yet-crisp mouthfeel, ripe with lingering flavors of vanilla, nuts, melon and citrus fruits. Bon appétit!

Preparation: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay the sheet of puff pastry on a flat work surface. Spoon the sundried tomato pesto onto the center. Thinly slice the rind off the top of the wheel of brie and put the cheese, cut-side down, on the filling. Fold the puff pastry up around the cheese and pleat or pinch the edges. Fold them down tightly to close the pastry over the cheese. Turn over again so the pleats of pastry are on the bottom. Brush the egg/water mixture over the top and sides of the puff pastry. Make a couple of slits in the top with a knife. Place on a baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm, on a platter with the baguette slices. Serves 8