Domaine Chandon

Address 1 California Drive, Yountville
Opening Hours Tastings 10:00–17:00 daily; reservations recommended

Set on a low hillside above Yountville, Domaine Chandon is the most accessible of the village's wineries — partly because it is owned by the LVMH-controlled Moët group and partly because of its scale, with picnic lawns, a tasting room, and a restaurant overlooking the vineyards. The sparkling wines are made by the same méthode traditionnelle as the parent's Champagnes, and the comparative flights are the obvious way to sample the range.

Reservations are essential at weekends but walk-ins are usually fine midweek. The grounds are good for a slow afternoon; a flight on the terrace with the vines spread out below is one of those Napa moments that justify the trip.

things to do sight winery
A story
Domaine Chandon was the first French-owned sparkling wine producer to set up in California, built by Moët & Chandon in 1973. The project was their answer to nervousness about whether champagne would always be enough — and a bet that Napa could make méthode traditionnelle wine to rival Reims. The original tasting room, designed by ROMA, won an American Institute of Architects award when it opened.

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