PHILOSOPHY
Most of Chandon’s sparkling wines are blended, non-vintage wines, designed to reflect a consistent style year to year. With this Vintage Appellation Series, we choose to create distinctive wines to showcase the unique qualities of a particular growing season from each of our vineyard appellations: Yountville, Mt. Veeder and Carneros. With this release of 2006 Vintage Brut we showcase the fruit grown here in Yountville, the location of Domaine Chandon Winery.

VINTAGE NOTES
The wet weather of 2006, starting with New Year flooding, and record rainfall that continued late into Spring set the stage for a delayed budbreak. By early June, the sun came out and vines began a rapid and uniform bloom. Mid-July’s record-setting ten day heat wave shut down the vines, further delaying harvest. Harvest began two weeks later than normal and was condensed; much of the fruit destined for sparkling wines ripened at once exhibiting overall crisp acidity with ripe fruit flavors, a perfect resource with which to craft a premium sparkling wine.

TASTING NOTES
Aged three years sur lees, this wine offers a myriad of aromas: nectarine, baked pear, honey and hints of lemon custard. Tiny bubbles elevate similar flavors that mingle with toasted hazelnut and caramel notes throughout the long, creamy finish. The rich mouthfeel combined with bright acidity make this an interesting and well-balanced wine.

FOOD & WINE PAIRING
This full-bodied, complex wine would pair nicely with a variety of foods. Try it with lamb carpaccio, crab cakes or mushroom ravioli with a Bechamel sauce. It would delight the palate paired with roasted Guinea Hens or other fowl.

Vintage: 2006

Appellation: Carneros

Aging Profile: Minimum of 3 years on the yeast

Blend: 78% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay, 2% Pinot Meunier