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A passion, vision and commitment to produce the world's best Pinot Noir led Ken and Grace to Oregon in 1989. They founded Domaine Serene in the Dundee Hills located in the North Willamette Valley, where Oregon Pinot Noir began and where its heart remains. Ken & Grace Evenstad purchased 42 acres atop the renowned Dundee Hills, in Yamhill County, Willamette Valley, Oregon. The quality of the newly purchased site established the winery as a major player in the market. In the next few years, the Estate vineyards Mark Bradford, Fleur de Lis and Etoile would be planted on this west-facing slope. Over 22 years later, that passion, vision and commitment remain as Domaine Serene celebrates our 23rd harvest in 2012. A lot has happened since then. By 1992, Domaine Serene gained national prominence and led the way for other Oregon wineries by establishing markets in Boston, New York City, Washington DC, Minneapolis, and Chicago. Less than 1% of total production was sold in Oregon and this percentage continued until 2005.
In anticipation of increased production from Estate-grown fruit; Domaine Serene purchased an additional 80-acre hilltop property in the Dundee Hills from Laurent Perrier in 1998. This property, one mile north of the Evenstad Estate Vineyards, was named Winery Hill and proposed as the site of a newly built winery and twenty acres of Pinot Noir. 1998 also saw Domaine Serene open to the public for the first time, twice a year, with open houses during the Memorial Day and Thanksgiving weekends. In 1999, the renowned wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. named Domaine Serene one of only two outstanding producers of Oregon Pinot Noir in his book, Parker's Wine Buyers Guide. Research and plans began for a new gravity-flow winery. Ernest R. Munch was chosen as the architect, with Walsh Construction as general contractor and Jordon Design Group for design. Road construction was completed in preparation for June 2000 winery construction. To achieve even more complexity in their wines, Domaine Serene purchased a 90-acre property on Jerusalem Hill on the East side of the Eola Hills, Yamhill County, Willamette Valley, Oregon. It is about 13 miles south of the Evenstad Estate Vineyards. Clearing of existing orchards began for Jerusalem Hill Vineyard. 55 acres of the gentle east-facing slope were planted solely to Pinot Noir. 1999 also saw the launch of Rockblock, the Rhone varietal label produced by Domaine Serene. The label began with fruit harvested from Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley appellation of Northeastern Oregon. In 2003, Domaine Serene was named "Estate Winery of the Year" by Wine & Spirits Magazine, an award they would achieve again in 2004 and 2007. This was also the year that Domaine Serene began international sales, opening Canada and Japan as export markets.
With critical acclaim at an all time high and production increasing thanks to newly matured estate vineyards, the Domaine Serene Tasting Room opened to the public in the spring of 2005. Sales within Oregon increased from 1% to 5% of total production. 2005 also heralded the release of the 2002 Monogram Pinot Noir, which was and remains an instant collectible and the most expensive domestic Pinot Noir on the market. In 2006, the “Evenstad Reserve” Pinot Noir, a sommelier favorite, was named the #1 Oregon wine in Wine & Spirits Restaurant Poll in 2006, just in time for the release of the fifteenth vintage of this flagship wine. Then, in 2007 Domaine Serene was named "Estate Winery of the Year" by Wine & Spirits Magazine for third time. In 2008, 140 acres of land adjoining the Winery Hill Estate were purchased to prevent sub-division and commercial development. Most of this beautiful property will be left as forest land. Some acreage will be planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and portion of the land is dedicated to other agricultural pursuits. 2008 saw Domaine Serene’s flagship wine, the “Evenstad Reserve” Pinot Noir, named “Best of Tasting” in the In 2009, Domaine Serene celebrated their 20th Anniversary (1989 – 2009) as an industry leader in the cultivation and production of ultra-premium wine. In 2011 the Domaine Serene ’08 “Grace Vineyard” Pinot Noir received 97 Points from Wine Spectator - the highest score ever given to an Oregon wine by that publication. Later that same year, the 2007 “Evenstad Reserve” Pinot Noir received 95 points from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Fast forward to the present, where Domaine Serene has not only grown but prospered, and in the process raised the bar for Oregon wines and put the region in the forefront of the media and the entire wine world. With 4 vineyard estates totaling 450 acres (180 under vine) and planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Domaine Serene’s environmentally friendly farming practices and extremely low crop yields continue to produce consistently concentrated, elegant, and highly-allocated wines. Over seventy-five wines have rated 90 points or higher in the Wine Spectator since that first vintage so many years ago. It is this commitment to quality that sparked renowned wine writer Anthony Dias Blue to declare Domaine Serene the "Château Lafite of Oregon.” We hope you will join us in toasting the past and celebrating the future with a glass of Domaine Serene Pinot Noir. Whether it's from 1990, 2008, or any vintage in between, we know you’ll taste the passion, vision and commitment that has made Domaine Serene so special for the past twenty-two years. |
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In 1989 an enduring legacy was born.
In 1995 production doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 cases of Pinot Noir with the addition of the first Estate vineyard fruit from the Mark Bradford Vineyard. Ken & Grace purchased and additional 41 adjoining acres with east facing slopes, which in the next two years became the Grace, Clos du Soleil and Gold Eagle Vineyards. In 1997 an adjoining south-facing slope of 59 acres was purchased. Twelve acres were previously planted to Pinot Noir and 4.5 acres to Dijon clone Chardonnay. The vineyard was re-named Côte Sud Vineyard. The Evenstad Estate Vineyard property now totals 142 acres and consists of east, west and south-facing slopes, with extraordinary 360° views of the Cascade Mountains, the coastal ranges and the Willamette Valley. The first Domaine Serene Chardonnay, from Côte Sud Vineyard Dijon clone plantings, was produced this year. 
In early 2000, construction began on the new five-level, gravity-flow winemaking facility atop the Dundee Hills, Oregon. The new facility, a benchmark for the region and the world, would enhance and further improve the quality of Domaine Serene's exquisite Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. This new winery was also designed to provide a much needed place for Oregon wine industry events. In September, 2001, Domaine Serene moved into the spectacular new winery, just in time for harvest! This state-of-the-art facility was a significant statement of the Evenstads’ belief in and commitment to Oregon as a premier wine growing region. It brought national and international attention to the area and solidified Oregon as “the” place to grow world-class Pinot Noir.
In 2004, Domaine Serene shocked the wine community by besting the most prestigious winery in the world, Domaine de la Romanée Conti, in a blind tasting of 3 wines from each producer in vintages 1998, 1999, and 2000. Domaine Serene placed first, second and third with the 1998 and 1999 vintages, and first and second with the 2000 vintage. This is also the year that Domaine Serene created the world’s first white wine made entirely from fully mature, estate-grown Pinot Noir grapes: Coeur Blanc, a new category of wine.
Wall Street Journal Oregon Pinot Noir article. This wine was also named one of the Top 100 Wines of 2008 by Wine Spectator Magazine, solidifying its reputation as Oregon’s best Pinot Noir.
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6555 N.E. Hilltop Lane, Dayton, OR 97114 - Phone: 1-503-864-4600 - Toll Free: 1-866-864-6555 |
