It is my pleasure to share one of the jewels of the Dundee Hills, founded by Ken and Grace Evenstad. It was many decades back that they planted their vines on ancient volcanic soils. Domaine Serene is one of Oregon’s most beautiful wineries. It is a magical place to visit with sweeping views of the valley and a really attentive staff that know Oregon wine and can help guide you through your tasting.
Michael Fay remains vice president of winemaking and winemaker Carl Formaker continue to make world-class wines at Domaine Serene. I love the new 2023 Domaine Serene ‘Clos de Lune’ Chardonnay (OB, 96) which mineral-laden and stony. Check out the stunning 2023 Domaine Serene ‘Coeur Blanc’ White Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is amongst the finest white Pinots you will taste in the United States. Learn more about this famed Oregon estate at http://domaineserene.com/ Here are the incredible new release wines by Domaine Serene.
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Clos de Lune’ Chardonnay- The stunning 2023 Domaine Serene ‘Clos de Lune’ Chardonnay comes from this location in the Winery Hill Estate in the Dundee Hills, planted in Jory soils with gentle south- and west-facing slopes. This is rich, viscous and highly nervy stuff showing orange blossom and star jasmine tones on the nose with poached pear and buttered sourdough bread. The palate is laden with minerality, with great stony undercurrents. A joy to consume now, watch this evolve over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2026-2037- 96
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Etoile’ Chardonnay- The 2023 ‘Etoile’ comes from this dry-farmed, three-acre vineyard that ranges from 800 to 825 feet in elevation. This site is panted to Dijon clones in Jory soil, as this opens with creme brûlée and suggestions of baking spice laced pie crust on the palate with apricot notes and wet rock accents. Delicious, with terrific flavor density and finesse, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2026-2037- 96
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Coeur Blanc’ White Pinot Noir- Truly one of the great wines of its kind, the 2023 ‘Coeur Blanc’ is a dense and layered white Pinot Noir by vice president of winemaking Michael Fay and winemaker Carl Formaker. Golden in the glass, this exudes class with white raisin, salted cashew nut and marzipan notes on the nose with wafts of wild strawberry. The palate is rich and viscous with a tremendous combination of flavor density and underlying salty minerality. A complete wine, this is drinking remarkably well at the three year mark. Enjoy over the next fifteen years. . . but why wait? Drink 2026-2041- 96
2022 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir- A knockout wine from a slightly cooler vintage, the 2022 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir was stored for 15 months in mainly natural French oak barrels before bottling. This has great concentration and purity of red fruits on the palate, as it comes off packed full of bright pomegranate seed, strawberry and red raspberry flavors, with lavender and loads of rocky soil character. Medium to full-bodied, with a refined mouthfeel, enjoy this sturdy Dundee Hills Pinot Noir now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2026-2041- 95
2022 Domaine Serene ‘Triple Crown’ Pinot Noir- The dazzling 2022 ‘Triple Crown’ Pinot Noir was sourced from this dry-farmed site in the Dundee Hills, set on rocky soils. Smoldering stones and Umami notes mark the nose with a dash of white pepper and great melange of red and dark fruits. The palate is lifted and refined with terrific verve and texture. Gorgeous and generous stuff to enjoy now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2022 Domaine Serene ‘Fleur de Lis’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Fleur de Lis’ comes from this rocky location atop the Dundee Hills AVA. Red rose petals mark the nose alongside exotic spices, white pepper and shades of cardamom dusted loganberry. The palate is fresh and viscous with terrific texture and juicy red fruits. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2026-2041- 95
2022 Domaine Serene ‘Gold Eagle’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Gold Eagle’ was stored for 17 months in mainly new French oak barrels before bottling. Translucent in the glass, this offers rich red fruits with blood orange zest on the nose alongside baking spices and hints of Earl Grey tea. The palate is rich and fat on the tongue, with terrific depth and tension. A gorgeous wine even in its bright youth, watch this evolve over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2022 Domaine Serene ‘Mark Bradford’ Pinot Noir- Named after Ken and Grace Evenstad’s son, the 2022 ‘Mark Bradford’ stands unusually translucent in the glass — as this can be many times one of the most brooding in Serene’s Pinot Noir lineup. Bright red rose petals fill the nose alongside toasted walnut, white pepper dusted red fruits and flinty undercurrents. The palate is powerful, delivering an ultra-pure red fruit core with loads of mouthwatering acidity. It is a total gem of a wine that already is neatly evolved now at the four year mark. Drink 2026-2046- 98
2022 Domaine Serene ‘Aspect’ Pinot Noir- The otherworldly 2022 ‘Aspect’ was sourced from the Mark Bradford, Grace, and Côte Sud vineyards in the Domaine Serene estate, all set on Jory soils. For my palate, this is the finest ‘Aspect’ yet produced. Akin to the ‘Mark Bradford’ this edition of ‘Aspect’ carries a considerably lighter color than normal. Seamlessly textured on the mid-palate, a sensational melange of red and black fruits greet you alongside orange peel, bergamot and forest floor notes, with rocky soils. It is a stunning rendition of this wine that is typically very black fruit-driven. Very broad-shouldered and heady, enjoy now and over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2026-2046- 98
2022 Domaine Serene ‘Grand Cheval’ Red Wine- A blend of mainly Syrah (74%) from the Walla Walla Valley, with the remainder Pinot Noir from the Dundee Hills, this one of a kind wine is absolutely singing right now. This comes off quite Syrah-driven on the nose with bacon fat and white pepper dusted smoked meats alongside dark currants and tobacco leaf. The palate is fresh, viscous and a total stunner. Rich dark fruits parade with graphite, peat moss and creosote tones. Already drinking marvelously, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2026-2038- 95