My first visit to was back Domaine Serene in 2002. I was floored by the overall quality of the wines as i tasted on a patio with breathtaking views of the Willamette Valley. There have been many changes at the winery since 2002 but the wines have been getting better and better over time.
Founded by Dundee Hills pioneers Grace and Ken Evenstad, Domaine Serene is one of the most gorgeous settings for any winery in the Pacific Northwest. They have a world-class hospitality program and share many older wines with their patrons. The wines cellar exceedingly well as I have enjoyed many Serene wines that are ten or more years of age.
I am so impressed with the sparkling wine program at Domaine Serene. I love the 2016 Domaine Serene ‘Recolte Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 96) which shows refined bubbles and great secondary notes now. Once again I was blown away with the new ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir. Their 2021 Domaine Serene ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir (OB, 99) flirts with perfection. It is the finest Pinot Noir from Oregon that I have tasted in the past year. Learn more about this famed Oregon estate at http://domaineserene.com/ Here are the incredible new release wines by Domaine Serene.
2016 Domaine Serene ‘Recolte Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine- Arguably the best sparkling wine that I have tasted from this house, the 2016 Domaine Serene ‘Recolte Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine spent more than five years on the lees prior to disgorgement. Japanese pear, wild mushroom, salted French bread and shades of candied ginger all combine on the palate, with a refined mousse and excellent sense of weight. Drinking marvelously right now, enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2026-2036- 96
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Recolte Grand Cru’ Chardonnay- One of the great Chardonnays I have tasted from this vintage, the world-class 2023 Domaine Serene ‘Recolte Grand Cru’ Chardonnay offers amazing flavor density, intensity as well as weight and length. It has a stunning core of melon and citrus fruits that combine with wafts of diatom, white truffle and copious stony minerals on the palate. The near minute-long finish just won’t quit. Glorious now in its mineral-laden youth, watch this evolve over the next fifteen years. Tasted twice, with the second bottle shining the most brightly. Drink 2026-2041- 97
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Aspect’ Chardonnay- The 2023 ‘Aspect’ was sourced from the Triple Crown and Winery Hill Vineyards in the Dundee Hills. It is big, rich and very nervy on the mouth, with terrific rocky and salty soil expression. Unctuous and broad-shouldered, with its mango, pineapple and Pink Lady apple core alongside excellent freshness, this warm vintage beauty is already starting to show its stride. Enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2023 Domaine Serene 'Cote Sud Vineyard' Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Cote Sud’ Pinot Noir comes from this dry-farmed, 23 acre location in the Dundee Hills. This comes off wonderfully rocky on the nose with smoldering stones alongside red rose petals, Mandarin orange rind and hints of wintergreen. The palate is elegant and refined with a great viscosity and mid-palate depth and flavor density. Gorgeous to consume now, with a fabulous mineral backbone, watch this evolve over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Jerusalem Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Jerusalem Hill Vineyard is set in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA at 200-300 feet on an eastern-facing slope. A brilliant melange of red and dark fruits greet you on the nose with tobacco leaf and damp soil accents. The palate is filled with freshness and nerve, with a lifted core of pomegranate and marionberry fruits alongside salty and stony nuances. A total stunner, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Member’s Limited Release’ Pinot Noir- Now in its sixth edition, the 2023 Domaine Serene ‘Member’s Limited Release’ Pinot Noir comes from rocky and marine sedimentary soils. It is medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a great melange of red and dark fruits interwoven with kumquat zest and crushed wet gravel nuances. Gorgeous to consume now, enjoy over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2026-2041- 95
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Two Barns’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2023 ‘Two Barns’ was sourced from this 35 acre location on the west side of the Dundee Hills AVA. On the nose this takes on potpourri notes and smoldering stones alongside black cherry compote and shades of wintergreen. The palate is big and dense with a core of black and red fruits with terrific freshness and minerality. Finishing long with black raspberry notes, this is drinking marvelously in its heady youth. Drink 2026-2042- 96
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Mark Bradford’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Mark Bradford’ is sourced from this dry-farmed location set at 660-800 feet in the Dundee Hills AVA. The rocky character from the Jory soils is immediately apparent on the palate, as this glides throughout the drinking experience, showing amazing stony and salty character. Boysenberry and tobacco leaf notes combine on the palate, with refined tannins and serious structure. This really needs another year for everything to come together — but the massive potential is there! Drink 2027-2050- 97
2023 Domaine Serene ‘Grace’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Grace’ is an ethereal effort that is one of the finest Pinot Noirs I have tasted this year. The wine is sourced from an eastern-facing slope that is set on Jory soils. Once on the nose this shows off red rose petals and black cherry notes that combine with cardamom dusted pastry crust and shades of red licorice. The palate is plush and refined as silky tannins frame an ebullient core of red and dark fruits. Like the ’23 ‘Mark Bradford’ this really needs a year or two to fully settle. Give it at least two hours in the decanter if consuming now. Drink 2027-2050- 98
2021 Domaine Serene ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir- As was the case with the 2018 and ’19 bottlings, the 2021 Domaine Serene ‘Monogram’ is once again the finest Oregon Pinot Noir that I have tasted all year. It is a velvety, refined Pinot Noir that saw extended barrel and bottle age. The oak influence here is so wonderful in terms of caressing the fruit and non-fruit flavors. Mainly black-fruit driven, with lighter red fruit nuances, with more air this shows glorious black truffle shavings, with hints of Cuban cigar, allspice and clove dusted black licorice and faint peat moss character, with loads of rocky soil nuance. Full-throttle and intense, yet maintaining gobs of nerve and stony minerality, this will easily age for another twenty plus years — but is completely irresistible in its heady youth now at the five year mark. Give this total heavyhitter an hour in the decanter and watch it evolve. You are going to be blown away with this wine. Drink 2027-2055- 99