92pts Wilfred Wong 

The Chandon By the Bay Reserve is elegant, alive, and bright.This wine starts out with a steady mousse and stays persistent and fine on the palate. Enjoy its apple and mineral aromas and flavors with a plate of tiny raw   brine-fresh oysters. (Tasted: June 11, 2020, San Francisco, CA)

90pts Decanter

A rich style with purity, zest and admirable fresh orchard fruit definition. A little yeasty wealth, bruised apple and sweet spice.

Winemaker Notes

Chandon By the Bay shows a bright nose and smooth structure, with notes of white flowers, lemon, apple, grapefruit, brioche, and almond throughout. The palate is zesty and fresh, with touches of minerality balancing soft creaminess and elegant bubbles. The mouthfeel is round, with vibrant acidity providing excellent balance complemented by a long, toasty finish.

Chandon By the Bay captures a singular expression of Domaine Chandon’s most iconic grape variety, Chardonnay, grown entirely in our Carneros Estate Vineyard – it is an ode to their mastery of Chardonnay. Chandon By the Bay is also a love declaration to the San Francisco bay area, where its proximity to cold water bays brings cool breezes and fog to certain microclimates, allowing for exceptional sparkling wine grapes.

Crafted in the traditional method, Chandon By the Bay is composed of the purest chardonnays from Carneros; 15% of the wines selected for this blend have been fermented in aged French oak barrels to bring a delicate and subtle layer of complexity to the nose and palate. After second fermentation, these bottles spend three and a half years sur lie in Chandon’s cellars; this is necessary time for this particular cuvee to express its elegance and reach its optimum balance

Blend: 92% Chardonnay, 8% Pinot Blanc