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Owen Bargreen

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It was a sensational tasting at Domaine Serene as they have produced the finest wine that I have tasted in the past year from the Willamette Valley — their 2018 ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir.

Domaine Serene

September 6, 2023

You don’t forget your first visit to Domaine Serene. Mine came back in 2002 There might have been many changes since then but the quality in the glass has remained paramount since this Dundee Hills winery was founded in the 1990s. I have enjoyed many of these wines in my personal collection over the years as they age so gracefully.

Last week I had the chance to visit the property and sit down with the winemaking team. The new wines were just sensational — some of the finest you will find in Oregon. This is the standard set by Dundee Hills pioneers Grace and Ken Evenstad.

I always tell people that Domaine Serene is a must visit for wine enthusiasts as it is definitely one of the most beautiful you will find in the Pacific Northwest.

Before coming to Domaine Serene, winemaker Michael Fay made brilliant Pinot Noirs at Goldeneye. Michael has done a great job with his new release wines. Don’t miss out on the Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve M.V. 5’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 95) which is clearly one of the finest, most refined sparkling wines you will taste in Oregon. This has a very Krug-like texture and flavor profile.  But the best wine I tasted, and the finest wine I have tasted from Oregon this year was the 2018 Domaine Serene ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir (OB, 99) which will rival anything in its region. Texturally this is ethereal and pillowy. Dense and layered with a cornucopia of dark fruit and non-fruit flavors, this has some sensational aging potential. Huge congrats to the winemaking team in crafting this bottling which is clearly the finest ‘Monogram’ yet produced. Learn more about this famed Oregon estate at http://domaineserene.com/ Here are the incredible new release wines by Domaine Serene.

Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Dundee Hills Brut M.V. 5 Sparkling Wine- This is now the 5th edition of this beautiful wine. This was aged on the lees for three years and then spent eight months in the barrel and was given 8G/L dosage. Roughly equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this offers a silky mousse with plenty of lemon oil and oyster shell flavors alongside hazelnuts and shades of white truffle. This is very Oregon meets Krug and will go neck and neck from anything in this region. Enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 95

Domaine Serene ‘Fleur de Vie’ Dundee Hils Demi-Sec M.V. 4 Sparkling Wine- The really good Domaine Serene ‘Fleur de Vie’ Dundee Hils Demi-Sec M.V. 4 Sparkling Wine is one of the great wines of its kind. The wine offers loads of mouth-watering acidity with a touch of sweetness with ripe nectarine, mango and Pink Lady apple flavors alongside the beautiful tension. 28G/L dosage. Drink 2023-2032- 93

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Chardonnay- The 2021 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Chardonnay is a blockbuster effort from this warm vintage as 40% of this wine was sourced from the Triple Crown Vineyard. The nose is outstanding with toasted walnut, white peach, wets stone and shades of lemon rind. This is very ripe and heady with an outstanding texture and sense of weight. This beauty will easily go for another ten plus years — and is already providing some serious drinking enjoyment. Drink 2023-2033- 95

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Clos de Lune’ Chardonnay- This comes from the two vineyard blocks that are clone 548 Chardonnay. This site is known for citrus and spice. The wine is oily and unctuous, as this is a full-bodied beauty. Nutty and stony tones combine with shades of nectarine, lemon zest and brioche tones. Finishing exceedingly long this is one of the great ‘Clos de Lune’ bottling that I have tasted. Enjoy now and over the next twelve plus years to come. Drink 2023-2037- 96

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Triple Crown Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2021 Domaine Serene ‘Triple Crown Vineyard’ Chardonnay is a stunning effort from this warm vintage. Showing great weight and underlying verve, this offers a seamless texture as this glides throughout the drinking experience. Pear and green apple flavors mark the palate, alongside toasted oak, roasted pineapple and shades of vanilla cream. Finishing exceedingly long this is a polished, rich effort that will drink well for another fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2023-2038- 96

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Cote Sud Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The gorgeous 2021 Domaine Serene ‘Cote Sud Vineyard’ Chardonnay is another complex and delicious wine from this famed Dundee Hills estate. This site was first planted back in 1991 as the wine revels in its core of nectarine and oyster shell tones that combine with wet stone and papaya flavors. The palate is plush and soft with a refined texture and beautiful length. This is a complete wine that is already very nicely evolved. Drink 2023-2038- 96

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Etoile Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This comes from the western side of the Dundee Hills property which is a western facing site that is typically picked the latest of the single vineyard locations which was planted back in 1999. The nose is heady and intense with lemon oil, white truffle, roasted Macadamia nut and sides of Gravenstein apple. Rich and intense with a soft mouthfeel and glorious length, this is beautiful wine that is drinking beautiful even at the two year mark Drink 2023-2038- 96

2020 Chevalier de la Cree ‘Cote de Beaune’ Pinot Noir- This 2020 ‘Cote de Beaune’ is a negotiant wine that comes from several regions in the Cote de Beaune. This is round and generous with wet stone and a rich core of red fruits that combine with citrus rind and shades of anise. While initially a bit reticent, with great finesse, this will easily go for another ten plus years. Drink 2023-2037- 92

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The brilliant 2021 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir will be released in March 2023. This is incredibly harmonious stuff wth serious depth, concentration and nuance. Black truffle shavings combine with red currants, kumquat zest and boysenberry with shades of Umami on the palate. Finishing long, with a seamless texture, and fantastic weight, this is already beautifully evolved stuff that has a long way in the cellar to go. Drink 2023-2039- 95

2006 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The 2006 ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir comes from this warm vintage that saw a range of challenges. Pomegranate seed and wild mushroom combine with peat moss and satsuma orange zest on the palate. With bright acidity and great weight, this will cellar well for another five to seven years. Drink 2023-2029- 95

2019 Domaine Serene ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The stunning 2019 Domaine Serene ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is named after the Evenstad’s son, as this western-facing site, planted in 1991, is located on the western side of the estate. This Wadenswil and Pommard clone Pinot Noir offers serious texture and richness with tobacco leaf, red currants, pomegranate seed and shades of white pepper on the palate. Finishing long this is gorgeous Pinot Noir that is already drinking beautifully. Considering the challenges of the vintage, this is a stunning new Pinot Noir that will go for potentially another twenty years. Drink 2023-2040- 96

2020 Maison Evenstad ‘Volnay Les Brouillards’ Pinot Noir- The 2020 ‘Volnay Les Brouillards’ is a wine comes from a foggy site, set on limestone soils. Cranberry with wild mushroom, peat moss and blackberries all combine on the palate, showing gravel undertones. Very heady with soft tannins, this is beautiful, well-structured wine that will easily go for twenty years. Drink 2023-2042- 94

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Monogram’ is a stunning bottling that flirts with perfection as this is a knockout blend of Pinot Noir from the Grace, Mark Bradford and Cote Sud Vineyards. Stored in 70% new French oak, the 2018 ‘Monogram’ deftly embodies this warm vintage. Once on the nose this takes on roasted date, huckleberry, red rose water, peat moss, and shades of blood orange zest. The palate is soft and round with serious power and weight. Finishing extremely long, with ripe black fruits, this is an absolutely stunning wine that is quite simply the finest wine from the Willamette Valley that I have tasted this past year. Drink 2023-2043- 99

2020 Domaine Serene ‘Grand Cheval’ Oregon Red Wine- The 2020 Domaine Serene ‘Grand Cheval’ comes from the Seven Hills Vineyard and includes Pinot Noir from the estate vineyard. Very juicy with bright acidity, this offers blackberry and black plum notes alongside salty accents and shades of smoked meats on the palate. A touch more linear than the ’18 and ’19 editions of this wine, the 2020 is ready to go now. Drink 2023-2029- 93

← Argyle 'Nuthouse' Chardonnay Vertical TastingCristom Vineyards →
 

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