The Domaine Carneros Cuvée de la Pompadour Brut Rosé dedicated to Madame de Pompadour the official chief mistress of Louis XV from 1745 to 1751.
Who’s Madame de Pompadour?
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise of Pompadour, or simply Madame de Pompadour was more than a mistress during her time. In modern terms, she was an Influencer and a trendsetter in art, architecture, and philosophy.
She introduced Champagne to the king’s court and coined the phrase, “Champagne is the only wine a woman can drink and remain beautiful.”
What is Madame de Pompadour doing in California?
Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé was inspired by Taittinger – a famous Champagne house established almost 300-years ago in Reims, the heart of the Champagne region.
Domaine Carneros is a joint venture between Champagne Taittinger and Kobrand Corporation, partners who are perfectionists in their fields,
In 1987 Claude Taittinger selected a 138-acre parcel in the heart of Carneros, Napa Valley, wisely choosing Eileen Crane-often referred to as America’s doyenne of Sparkling Wine, to oversee the development of the Taittinger style in Carneros.
Nowadays, The Domaine Carneros château is a California wine country landmark. It is inspired by the classic 18th century Château de la Marquetterie in Champagne, France – home of Champagne Taittinger.
So it only fits that Madame Pompadour appeared on the label. After all, both Domaine Carneros and Madame de Pompadour are sparkling trendsetters.
In the bottle of Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé
The Domaine Carneros Cuvée de la Pompadour Brut Rosé is a blend of 58% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay. The fruit comes from the estate that has grown to over 400 acres since 1987. It is made with artisan attention to quality and the use of time-honored Champenoise methods of production.
Inspired by Madame de Pompadour, the Brut Rosé meant to be enjoyed young when the fruity character is still predominant. Still, there is enough age to make the wine round and balanced.
In the glass of Madame de Pompadour
As we poured beautiful copper pink brut in the glass, we imagined that Madame de Pompadour might have worn the same color dress to a king’s ball at one time. The tiny bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass are like sparkling diamonds on her dress.
As the bubbles reached the top, they popped and sounded like the soft steps of Madame de Pompadour and the dancing couples in salons of Versaille during the rule of Louis XV.
As we inhaled the aromas of brioche, red apple, cranberry, and beeswax, we wondered how Madame de Pompadour would describe the Champagne of her time. Did it smell the same? Were 18th-century bubbles better than ours? Was the creamy mousse sensation the same as ours when we made the first sip of Brut Rosé?
The flavors of Domaine Carneros were a natural extension of the aromas with red apple, lemon, and red grapes. The finish had pronounced cranberry flavor with refreshing acidity we expect from true Brut.
Pairing
We paired it with Scallops we cooked in Jamon fat. It was probably the most luxurious dinners out of the quickest ones we could prepare at home!
Au Revoir Madame de Pompadour
As we sipped Cuvée de la Pompadour and contemplated our experience with that of people who lived over two hundred years ago, we realized something.
We realized that we live in the times when the royal pleasures of sparkling wines are within reach of ordinary citizens. In our times, excellent sparkling wines don’t have to have Champagne on the label to bring as much joy.
We can always invite Madame de Pompadour with her Cuvée of Domaine Carneros.