As I sat alongside the winemaking team at Domaine Serene, we were all thrilled with what we saw in the glass. ‘Ooohs’ and ‘ahhs’ rang out amongst us all as we revisited some of the great wines made in Oregon spanning many decades. It had been more than a year since I had visited Domaine Serene, last frequenting right before Covid struck. It is hard to believe that more than thirty years ago Domaine Serene was founded by Dundee Hills pioneers Grace and Ken Evenstad, One of the most beautiful wineries in the Pacific Northwest, Domaine Serene is an absolute must visit for any Oregon wine lover. I fondly recall my first visit to Domaine Serene in 2002 and was absolutely blown away not only with the sweeping views of the Willamette Valley but the stunning wines. The consistency in these wines is something I really admire. The wines have some seriously good cellaring potential which is something that I and the entire winemaking team all agreed upon during our visit back into time.
Tasting through this incredible retrospective I was so impressed by the aging potential of the older wines — both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The 1997 Domaine Serene ‘Cote Sud Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) still has a long way to go in the cellar. This wine shows insanely good range with a light Fino sherry quality. Even better is the sensational 2012 Domaine Serene ‘Etoile Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) which is a silky and shows immense concentration even at nearly ten years of age. I was just blown away with one of the stars of 2012, the Domaine Serene ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is really singing with its magnificent texture and dense mouthfeel. This has decades of life ahead of it. Learn more about this famed Oregon estate at http://domaineserene.com/ Here are the incredible new release wines by Domaine Serene.
1997 Domaine Serene ‘Cote Sud Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The wine is remarkably elegant and fresh now at the twenty four year mark. Roasted hazelnuts and brioche tones combine with damp earth and white peach on the palate. Remarkably this shows a light Fino sherry profile. Stunning and gorgeous, with its finesse and beautiful texture, this is just singing now and will cellar well for at least another five years. Drink 2021-2025- 94
2012 Domaine Serene ‘Etoile Vineyard’ Chardonnay-The 2012 ‘Etoile Vineyard’ Chardonnay is a stunning effort that is really hitting its secondary stride right now. The sense of mouthfeel and veil of tension is seriously good. Lemon zest and chalky terroir combine with salted Macadamia nut and shades of vanilla creme brûlée on the palate. The gratifying length adds to the enjoyment. Drink 2021-2033- 95
2011 Domaine Serene ‘Coer Blanc’ White Pinot Noir- Fresh and vibrant now at the ten year mark, the 2011 ‘Coer Blanc’ White Pinot Noir is a beautifully evolved white Pinot Noir. Banana and nutty tones combine with papaya and suggestions of macerated Japanese pear on the nose. The palate is plush and beautifully textured. Layers of buttercream and white peach combine with salty earth and a seamless sense of mouthfeel. The veil of tension really drives this wine. Drink 2021-2031- 95
2012 Domaine Serene ‘Winery Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2012 ‘Winery Hill Vineyard’ is a beautiful, fresh and dense Pinot Noir by Domaine Serene. Once on the nose sour cherry and pomegranate seed tones combine what sandalwood and blood orange zest aromatics. The palate is plush and seamless with a soft texture. Salty undertones and a touch of volcanic earth add to the enjoyment here as this outstanding effort will provide drinking enjoyment for another fifteen years. Drink 2021-2035- 95
2012 Domaine Serene ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2012 ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a dense and tightly wound effort that is just singing now at the nine-year mark. Lightly tannic and showing a gratifying sense of weight and mouthfeel, this reveals dark cherry and red raspberry cordial alongside tilled soil and kumquat flavors. This is really just a baby even at nearly ten years old. Drink 2021-2036- 96
2018 Domaine Serene ‘Cellar Society Triple Crown Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 Domaine Serene ‘Cellar Society Triple Crown Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a special, limited production wine made for their top tier wine club. Dense red and dark fruits collide with smoky minerals and shades of blood orange zest on the palate. The sensational sense of texture and bright acidity really drive the core of fruit. Gorgeous now, this has another fifteen plus years to go. Drink 2021-2038- 95