|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carneros Wine
|
The cool, wind blown hills of Carneros sprawl across the last, low rumpled hummocks of the Mayacamas Range—spanning the extreme south of both of California’s most famed wine growing regions, Napa and Sonoma counties.
The larger part of the region lies within Sonoma County, and the smaller segment, in Napa County, is equally entitled to use Napa Valley on the bottle. However, the trend to claim neither is strong because Carneros’ vineyard and winery owners alike have a firm and growing belief that their relentlessly windy, foggy, meager-soiled district is not the Napa Valley at all, nor Sonoma either, but rather Carneros through and through. Much of the source of this hometown pride is nested in the fact that Carneros often provides the grapes for many wineries in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys when more consistent, cool climate blending components are needed. In particular, it is Carneros Chardonnay that delivers the bright, fruit filled backbone that the vintners in nearby regions need to keep their wines performing at a high level. Although Chardonnay can make passable wines in a number of situations, the winemakers of Carneros understood that with this grape elegance is all, and finesse, perfume and balance are the objectives. To achieve this they knew that one needed cool climate conditions, and a long growing season. Carneros provided these, and in turn the exceptional quality of the fruit enabled Carneros to gain its own appellation in 1983. Based on geographical not political boundaries, this was the first time this has occurred in America. It is testament to the fact that historically, growers in Carneros have been the most active in California in the effort to match the right grape types, and the right clones, with the right soils and aspects to the sun, and the right pruning and trellising methods to maximize both acid retention and sugar ripeness. But for all its elegant fruit, Carneros is a region without pretense—the parade of ostentatious architectural triumphs and follies which has transformed parts of Napa and Sonoma is absent there. In fact, most of the vineyards themselves have no winery attached. World class names, however, are: Beaulieu Vineyard, Clos du Val, Cuvaison, Domaine Chandon, Charles Krug, Louis M. Martini, Robert Mondavi, Tattinger, and Cordorniu all have vineyard holdings in the region. But they have led the way by acknowledging the greatness of Carneros wine while still holding on to their Napa roots.
Climate At the beginning of the 1990s, vineyard prices per acre were higher in Carneros than anywhere else in California. And the reason is the climate. For elegant, cool climate grapes it is near perfection: winter and springtime temperatures are on average a few degrees warmer than areas further inland, allowing for an early bud break with little frost risk. Summer temperatures are appreciably cooler on average than further up the valleys, and the fogs created by the collision of warm inland air and cold ocean air don't clear until mid to late morning. Then the day heats up and the grapes continue to ripen, until in the late afternoon, a breeze comes off the bay, as regular as clockwork, cooling the grapes in the torrid afternoon sun. This topsy-turvy climate is the key to Carneros. Rainfall is also sparse, so the growing season is long and the climate is mainly shaped by the bay and whipping winds that blow through the area almost daily. This nearly eternal, usually howling wind is another key that distinguishes Carneros from the more sheltered parts of Napa and Sonoma. Velocities are such that they cause vines to protect themselves against dehydration by shutting down their whole metabolic process for some part of almost every day between June and September.
Wine Styles in CarnerosAlthough varieties such as Cabernet and Merlot are commonly grown in Carneros, especially in the warmer northernmost corner, the two varieties which now cover 85 per cent of the plantings are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Both are vinified as both still and sparkling wine. Gloria Ferrer, Domaine Carneros, and Codorniu Napa were the pioneer sparkling wine producers following the lead of Domaine Chandon of Yountville which first sourced grapes here. Generally speaking, The Chardonnays are bright and lively, with earthy apple, pineapple and crisp lemon flavors. Carneros Pinot Noir is marked by spicy cherry and berry flavors and is crisp and tight in structure, much like the Chardonnay. In the best vintages, both wines age well for four to six and up to ten years. But in addition to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Carneros is gaining a reputation for Merlot. Cuvaison's is first-class, as is the offering from Charles’Creek. Far cooler than the valley floor because of proximity to Pacific breezes and fog, Carneros is not suited to Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet, which once fared well at Buena Vista with its excellent Special Selection and Private Reserve bottlings, has faltered of late, with wines that increasingly display an herbal, weedy edge and lack tart cherry and berry notes. The Carneros version would be no challenge to a rich, powerful Napa Cabernet. Carneros VarietalsWhite Wine Varieties Chardonnay accounts for nearly half of Carneros's 8000 acres of vines, most of it devoted to table wine, and a fair amount to classic-method sparkling wine. Riesling, Gewurztraminer and a tiny amount of Pinot Blanc add much less to overall production, but have created some excellent wines over the years. Chardonnay
As cool climate versions go, Carneros Chardonnays are on the average incredibly consistent. At any comprehensive tasting of the appellation's wines, the Chardonnays almost surely will be the classiest field overall, one of them almost certain to come away with the cup for best in show. The styles one may find are also varied, as Carneros winemakers are known to use malolactic fermentations, aging on lees, and other sources to add different nuances to their wines. But it is usually true that their wines have enough flavor on their own to shine through definite efforts to impose style—a Carneros Chardonnay is sufficiently naturally endowed to need no such makeup and perfume. Buying guide: Top Ten Carneros Chardonnays
return to top
On the Market: Carneros White Wines90 X Truchard Vineyard / Sangiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay Carneros $19
93 Neyers Carneros Chardonnay Chardonnay$27
94 Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay Carneros $43
94 Ramey Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay Carneros $58
return to top
Red Wine Varieties
Pinot Noir: See Carneros Pinot Noir
Merlot
Buying Guide: Top Ten Carneros Merlots
return to top
Carneros Sparkling WinesMany of the Carneros’ Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards are planted solely with sparkling wine production in mind. Led by Codorniu Napa (owned by the Spanish house of the same name), Domaine Cameros (Taittinger-directed), Domaine Chandon and Gloria Ferrer (owned by the proprietors of Spain's Freixenet), Champagne method sparkling wine is the other major product of Cameros fruit. These wineries produce about a fifth of all Carneros wine, with a range of styles that demonstrates the versatility of California. Gloria Ferrer, in both its "Cameros Cuvee" and "Royal Cuvee," consistently produces vintage bottlings with Pinot Noir at about 60 percent of each cuvee, Chardonnay at 40 per cent. The creamy "Cameros Cuvee" spends nearly four years on its yeasts, one of the longer aging times in all of California. Domaine Cameros makes a lean, firm Blanc de Blancs, mainly from Chardonnay, and a non-vintage Brut usually from 60 per cent Chardonnay, and 40 percent Pinot Noir.
|
Image Galleries
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
By all the standards - depth of flavor, balance, ageworthiness - the great white grape of 
