Domaine Serene
by
Kathy and Terry Sullivan
Summary: Domaine Serene was established by the Evenstads because of their love of Pinot Noir wines and their desire to develop high-end wines in Oregon, thus showcasing Oregon as a leading wine state. The Italian style multi-level winery building houses the tasting room, a lovely place to sample the award winning wines.
Visitors wind along a long curved driveway lined with deciduous trees, ready to leaf out soon, to reach Domaine Serene. The winery and tasting room is a Tuscan yellow with an orangish tile roof. Windows with shutters add a finishing touch. A trip down a long, triangular staircase allows one to see the full height of the tower from the ground level adjacent to the barrel room. The view is reminisent of a M.C. Escher drawing.
Domaine Serene Background
In the beginning Ken and Grace Evenstad loved Pinot Noir wines. Owners of a pharmaceutical business in Minnesota and travelers, they enjoyed wines from France as well as the United States. Curiosity started with a bottle of good Oregon wine that led Evenstads to Oregon. In 1989 they arrived in Oregon to look at land and purchased property. Today Domaine Serene, named after their daughter, is one of Oregon’s largest wineries with a 25,000 to 30,000 case production. The focus is on producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The Vineyards
The Evenstads’ love of the land translates into sustainable viticulture practices. The vineyards are dry farmed and low crop yields averaging about 1.7 tons to the acre are encouraged. A diverse population of plants and animals are encouraged on the land next to the vineyards. There are four vineyard areas: Evenstad Estate, Jerusalem Hill Estate, Rockblock and Winery Hill. The Winery Hill Estate contains 80 acres of land. The winery is built on this land and twenty acres of Pinot Noir are planted near the winery. At the time of our early March visit, recently prunned vines show their architecture for the future growing season.
Winery Production Areas
The winery was built with the idea of producing the best Oregon Pinot Noir possible. The five-level winemaking facility has large underground modern-style caves that house hundreds of oak wine barrels. The barrels are predominantly French oak. The tank room shines from the glow of the many stainless steel tanks lining walls and occupying the center of the room. One will note that the tanks are smaller, a consequence of wanting to produce smaller batches of special vintages and vineyard focused wines.
Domaine Serene’s Tasting Room
The tasting room inside the facility is charming, offering a lovely ambiance that pairs well with tasting wines. The tasting counter can accommodate several people making the wine tasting experience more intimate. A large fireplace adds to the warmth of the tasting area. Long floral drapes at the windows add a dramatic touch.
Wines of Domaine Serene
“Côte Sud” Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 offered apple and pear notes on the aroma and taste. The finish was smooth and fruity. “Yamhill Cuvée” Pinot Noir 2008 was a ruby color with a fruity taste and mild tannins on the finish. “Fleur De Lis Vineyard” Pinot Noir 2007 was a ruby color. The aroma and taste offered nuances of red berries and earthiness. The finish had mild tannins. “Evenstad Reserve” Pinot Noir 2007 is the flagship wine for Domaine Serene. This 2007 wine was a ruby color with notes of red fruit. The finish was fruity with tannins. Rockblock “Reserve” Syrah 2006 was a dark purple. The aroma and taste had plum and dark fruit notes while the finish was crisp with mild tannins. Rockblock “Carpenter Hill Vineyard” Syrah 2006 was dark ruby. The aroma and taste offered dark fruit nuances. The finish was fruity with tannins.
When planning a visit to Domaine Serene, be sure to include a camera in your bag.
Domaine Serene
6555 Hilltop Lane
Dayton, Oregon 97114
GPS: N45º 16.257’ W123º 04.171’
Support the following Oregon Wineries.
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| Civic Winery | King Estate | Sweet Cheeks Winery & Vineyard | |
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| Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyard | Youngberg Hill |
