Domaine Eden is a mountaintop wine estate purchased by Mount Eden Vineyards in 2007. It was initially planted with select Mount Eden clones of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and evolved to include Pinot Noir from various Dijon and California selections. The viticulture at Domaine Eden is approached with the same degree of sustainability and attention to natural patterns as Mount Eden’s estate vineyards.
The Domaine’s soil, however, is different from the estate’s Franciscan shale. Even though Domaine Eden is a mere mile away “as the crow flies”, the contrast is based on soil type and the unique ability of Pinot Noir clones to reveal these differences. Mount Eden’s estate vineyard is built on shale and rock. The wines there are soil-driven. Domaine Eden’s soils are beautifully textured loam devoid of rocks; wines there are fruit-driven.
“The delicacy of this Pinot Noir keeps it airy even as its red fruit saturates the texture and some youthful reductive notes close it off. That green-onion tension gives way to briny notes of seaweed and beach grass, the oak adding a smokey undertone.”
92 points, Wine and Spirits, April 2019
“The 2016 Pinot Noir has a pale to medium ruby-purple colour and notions of eucalyptus, forest floor, cool blueberries, raspberry and sweet strawberry preserves with prosciutto, faint hints of dried herbs, wild blackberries and an orange peel note. The palate is light to medium-bodied with an intense core of perfumed fruit, a soft, grainy frame and juicy acidity, finishing with pretty berry notes. 1,828 cases produced.”
92 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Feb 2020
“From Mount Eden’s more affordable sister property comes this heady bottling, which begins with aromas of dark red fruit and freshly laid asphalt. The palate is immensely earthy, with more tar and a touch of singed boar skin, yet set against a dark raspberry and cranberry profile. Drink 2020-2031.”
91 points, Wine Enthusiast, Oct 2019
