While the United States has been recognized for years as the home of some of the world’s finest sparkling wine, a more recent development on our shores is the release of long-aged bubbly made in the style of the finest Champagne. Bottles from a single vintage that are aged on their lees for at least five years—and in some cases almost 20—are far more complex and profound than their much younger siblings. No longer a one-off among houses with French origins, ultra-aged American sparkling is a small but rapidly growing category appreciated by those who enjoy French-style sparkling with an American pedigree. One of the leaders in the field is Domaine Carneros, whose château at the southern entrance to Napa Valley is a familiar landmark to frequent wine country travelers. Established in 1987 by Champagne’s Taittinger family, its Le Rêve is a Napa sibling to the famed Taittinger Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne, this time made..
