The first French owned winery in California is by Moet & Chandon, called Domaine Chandon.  A beautiful designed winery that blends into the hillside and the environment.  I wish that I could show you the pictures that we took, but we had one of those disposable panoramic cameras (where you take the whole camera in to have the pictures developed, unfortunately the camera was defective and we lost some great pictures).

This new winery was built with all state-of-the-art equipment, but with the desire to maintain the Methode Champenoise.  This brand new facility was sculpted into the setting for a serene setting even with the tumult of the harvest season.

We took a tour of the grounds and the winemaking process, and all the discussions of how they were being ecologically sound with sustainable agriculture and land stewardship.  They also had a magnificent terrace with grand mountain views, a salon (the wine tasting room) and a four star restaurant that featured “modern French cuisine with a California accent” where all of the food was designed to pair wonderfully with “Champagnes.”

We took advantage of the restaurant’s art to enjoy several plates of hors d’oeuvres to munch on, during the tasting flight that Domaine Chandon was offering that day.  We enjoyed Duck Foie Blond Pate, Hamachi Carpaccio, Home Smoked Salmon Tartare and Home Smoked Trout.

I have to admit, I enjoyed the appetizers more than the wines, which were all excellent, but I am not a major Champagne maven.   My Bride enjoys the “sparkly” more than I, which is fine for both of us.