Domaine Carneros

My husband & I were traveling down to the city from St. Helena and decided to take the "scenic route" through Marin. We passed by Domaine Carneros and thought, oh well...we never get here but we must be getting to the city for our appointments. About 50 feet further down the road, we turned around and decided to settle in for a tasting and we are SO glad that we did. We did one flight of sparkling wine and one flight of pinot noir, accompanied by a cheese plate (selected to compliment the sparkling wines). It is so nice to have a tasting sitting at a table, relaxing with a bit of a snack. This was more than a snack - three large cheese portions, nuts & dried apples and pears. Not only were they tasty, but they went with the wine beautifully. ($14 for the cheese and $13/$14 for the tastings...well worth it as each is a full 2 oz pour) We tasted wines that are available nationally and a few that are only available at the winery. I recommend both the tasting here (comfortable, friendly and a dynamite chateau location) as well as the Avant Garde Pinot Noir and the 2000 Le Reve sparkling wine. This was a treat! You can also order online from them at www.domaine.com more

When we go to Napa, we ALWAYS go to Domaine. I absolutely love this winery. There's just something about drinking wine or champaign out of the terrace of the mansion that is on the property. The mansion is up a bit of a hill so you have a beautiful view of the winery and surrounding area. The service is great here and they know a lot about their wine and sparkling wines. My favorite is the Rose, it's dreamy! It is a bit expensive but worth stopping at for a glass or two. more