In 1987, the Taittinger family selected Eileen Crane as Domaine Carneros’ founding winemaker and tasked her with overseeing the planning and construction of the winery. She is one of the industry’s pioneering women and the most experienced American Sparkling winemaker. Eileen’s pursuit of excellence in viticulture, winemaking, and hospitality made us what we are today.
Eileen explains, "I’ll never forget: Newly hired in 1987, I was sitting in the Château construction trailer, on the phone with Claude Taittinger, as he described the family dream to make the finest Blanc de Blancs in America. Le Rêve, French for ‘the dream,’ is Taittinger’s vision brought to life... and my greatest triumph.
I spent years developing the ‘recipe,’ blending our most exceptional Chardonnay. When I achieved it with the 1992 vintage, in celebration, Taittinger commissioned the signature rams’ head cartouche bottle. The blend is based on what I feel is a perfect balance. Think Audrey Hepburn in the little black dress—refined, understated elegance, nothing extraneous; everything brought together with a sense of effortless beauty."
In 2020, Crane passed the baton to Remi and stated, “I have had a long and satisfying career guiding Domaine Carneros to where it is today. My dream from the age of eight was to make delicious sparkling wine. From a little girl in New Jersey through a path of many adventures with twists and turns, eventually I found the career that has been more than a dream come true. And it has been a great pleasure to work with the Taittinger family for 33 years. Remi has all the qualities and more to take us to the next evolutionary step. Her adaptability to the changing demographic and cultural landscape will guide the winery into the future with a steady hand at the helm.” Crane also underscored the high value that the founding Taittinger family has for female leadership.