July 30, 2026 / News Domaine Serene in the News

Media Coverage

We are deeply honored by the global recognition our wines receive. Explore how critics and publications worldwide celebrate Domaine Serene's dedication to crafting exceptional wines. 

Jeb Dunnuck An In-Depth Look at The Willamette Valley: 2024 and 2023

• Led by prominent independent critic Jeb Dunnuck and reviewer Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com is a leading subscription-based publication world-renowned for its rigorous, unbiased fine wine scoring and regional vintage reports.
• The comprehensive report features Domaine Serene among the region's elite producers, evaluating its latest 2023 single-vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays with top-tier critical scores that highlight their balance, structure, and cellar longevity.

Decanter Oregon and Washington wines reach new peaks at 2026 DWWA

• As one of the world's most prestigious wine media brands, Decanter sets the international benchmark for wine evaluation through its world-renowned blind tasting panels. This article spotlights Domaine Serene as a top performer at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, celebrating its 2023 Aspect Pinot Noir earning a prestigious 97-point "Best in Show" medal.

• "Domaine Serene, one of Oregon’s top producers, took home Best in Show – given to just 0.3% of the nearly 17,000 wines tasted in 2026 – for its 2023 Aspect Pinot Noir. The wine is sourced from the winery’s highest-elevation estate vineyards in the Dundee Hills, one of Willamette Valley’s prime winegrowing appellations. In fact, every one of the previous three Best in Show winners from Oregon (in the 2016, 2020 and 2023 competitions) has been a Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills.

  The judges gave Aspect a score of 97 points, noting its ‘impressive craftsmanship’, ‘outstanding fruit’, supple palate and ‘textbook Dundee Hills aromatics of cherry cola and sassafras’. Domaine Serene also earned a Gold medal and 96 points for its ‘seductive’ 2023 Grace Vineyard Pinot Noir, a single-vineyard bottling from its Evenstad Estate, as well as Silver medals for three other Pinot Noirs and two sparkling wines.

  To be recognised with a collection of medals ‘is deeply meaningful to our entire vineyard and winemaking team’, said Michael Fay, Domaine Serene’s vice president of winemaking and viticulture. ‘These awards reflect our commitment to wines expressing the character of the Dundee Hills and Willamette Valley while representing the world-class quality Oregon brings to Pinot Noir and sparkling wine. This recognition gives us an important opportunity to introduce more consumers to our wines and the remarkable region we are proud to call home’."

Beverage Information Group Domaine Serene Releases 2023 Vintage Under Winemaker Carl Formaker

• Beverage Information Group is a leading information source and research group for the beverage alcohol industry. The outlet spotlights Domaine Serene’s 2023 vintage launch, the first produced under winemaker Carl Formaker, who joined the Oregon winery that year.

Wine Industry Network Domaine Serene Releases 2023 Vintage, the First Led by Winemaker Carl Formaker

• Wine Industry Network provides authoritative coverage of industry releases and winemaking leadership. The outlet spotlights Domaine Serene’s landmark 2023 vintage launch, celebrating it as the inaugural lineup under the expert guidance of winemaker Carl Formaker.

Owen Bargreen Domaine Serene

• Renowned independent critic Owen Bargreen offers highly respected regional insight as one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier wine journalists. In this wine review, Bargreen evaluates Domaine Serene’s latest vintage, praising the winery's signature single-vineyard expressions and exceptional cellaring potential.
• "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."

VinePair The 30 Best Chardonnays for 2026

• VinePair is a leading digital authority for modern beverage culture, widely turned to for its rigorous, panel-tested buying guides. The publication features Domaine Serene among its top 30 global Chardonnays, commending its cool-climate elegance, vibrant acidity, and texture.

Tasting Table The Absolute Best Winery In Every US State

• Tasting Table is an acclaimed culinary and travel platform known for curating trusted recommendations across food, drink, and hospitality. The outlet singles out Domaine Serene as Oregon’s absolute best winery, highlighting its world-class tasting experiences and picturesque Willamette Valley estate.
• "Few wineries have done more to shape Oregon's reputation than Domaine Serene, a producer of wines that has repeatedly earned acclaim on the world stage. The estate helped demonstrate the potential of Oregon pinot noir and chardonnay, with bottlings that have ranked among the highest-rated wines in the country. Coupled with a lush, manicured vineyard, Domaine Serene remains one of the most influential wineries in the Pacific Northwest."

Wine Spectator Stellar Red Burgundy: Over 430 Wines Rated Up to 98 Points

• As the world’s most influential fine wine publication, Wine Spectator sets the global benchmark for professional critical scoring. This comprehensive report features Domaine Evenstad & Château de la Crée alongside the top red Burgundy producers earning coveted high-90s scores.

Decanter Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 Best in Show: Top 50 wines

• Organizing the world's largest and most rigorous blind-tasting competition, Decanter represents the gold standard of global wine journalism. The publication awards Domaine Serene top honors among its 50 "Best in Show" selections, cementing Domaine Serene's status among the planet's elite wine producers.

Forbes The World’s Top Red Wines, According To The Decanter World Wine Awards

• Forbes is a globally recognized business and lifestyle media brand celebrated for its definitive coverage of luxury markets and fine living. The magazine highlights Domaine Serene’s award-winning Pinot Noir in its roundup of the world's top red wines recognized at the Decanter World Wine Awards.
• "Domaine Evenstad, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2023 raises the stakes. Clos de Vougeot is Burgundy’s most storied grand cru. It’s a 50-hectare/125-acre walled vineyard with over 80 different owners, so producer selection is critical. Domaine Evenstad, the French arm of Oregon’s Domaine Serene, produces a fully oaked, eighteen-month version of considerable depth and presence. The nose is brooding and complex, with black cherry, truffle, violet, and a seam of toasted oak. The palate is dense and layered, with flavors of dark plum, game, and warm spice. The finish is long and forceful. A wine that demands time in the glass and time in the cellar."
• "Domaine Serene, Aspect, Dundee Hills, Oregon 2023 is the transatlantic counterpart. It’s the same ownership, different hemisphere, different dialect of the same grape. The Dundee Hills are Oregon’s most prestigious Pinot Noir address, and Aspect is the estate’s flagship. Fully oaked for sixteen months, this is a wine of considerable richness by Oregon standards. It features red and black cherry, cedar, violet, and forest floor on the nose. The palate is generous and textured, with flavors of dark raspberry, roasted beet, and spice. The finish is warm and persistent. It earned Best in Show, Oregon’s second this year, and it is a convincing argument that the Willamette Valley has nothing left to prove."

CNN The US has record-breaking year at the world’s largest wine awards

• As one of the world's largest mainstream news networks, CNN delivers authoritative reporting on global cultural and industry milestones. The outlet features Domaine Serene as a primary driver behind America’s historic medal count at the international Decanter awards.

AOL Oregon wineries ‘dominate’ 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards

• AOL remains a major digital news aggregator bringing sydicated coverage to millions of daily readers. The feature spotlights Domaine Serene as a standout leader in Oregon’s dominant, record-setting performance at the worlds largest wine competition.

Forbes America's Best Wines, According To The Decanter World Wine Awards

• Forbes leverages its reputation for executive luxury reporting to curate top-tier recommendations for discerning consumers. In this competitive showcase, Domaine Serene is highlighted as one of America's premier domestic producers standing toe-to-toe with historic European labels.

Oregon Live, The Oregonian Oregon wines break record in dominate showing at world wine awards

• As Oregon’s largest and most storied Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper, The Oregonian is the definitive voice for local news and industry achievements. The article showcases Domaine Serene’s high-scoring medals as a key catalyst for the state’s historic international recognition.
• "The most notable achievement for Oregon was a top 50 best in show award for Domaine Serene’s 'Aspect' (Dundee Hills 2023), a 100% pinot noir that aged for 16 months in French oak barrels."

KOIN Oregon wineries 'dominate' 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards

• KOIN is Portland’s trusted CBS news affiliate, delivering respected local broadcast journalism and regional economic reporting. The news station highlights Domaine Serene’s medal sweep, celebrating the winery's contribution to elevating Willamette Valley winemaking on the global stage.

Wine Swinging Domaine Serene: Oregon Ambition, Burgundian Pedigree, and a Cross‑Continental Conversation in Pinot Noir

• Wine Swinging is an engaging editorial blog dedicated to in-depth producer profiles and nuanced viticultural storytelling. The piece offers a deep dive into Domaine Serene’s unique dual-hemisphere model, exploring how it bridges Willamette Valley terroir with traditional Burgundian winemaking.
• "Few wineries attempt this cross-continental balancing act, and even fewer manage it without tripping over their own ambition. Domaine Serene, however, waltzes from Oregon to Burgundy with a quiet poise that’s hard not to admire. Here, the wines speak first—and the winemakers, wisely, let them get on with it. The result is a conversation worth listening to, and perhaps even raising a glass to."

Decanter International Chardonnay Day

• Decanter’s international editorial team brings unmatched expertise and serves as the authority to global grape varietal guides. This article features the 2022 Château de la Crée Santenay Premier Cru Les Gravières Chardonnay as the best way to celebrate International Chardonnay Day.

Robb Report 7 Superb Pinot Noir's from Oregon to Drink Now

• Robb Report is a global authority on luxury lifestyle, fine spirits, and high-end collecting. The magazine recommends Domaine Serene as an essential Oregon Pinot Noir producer, highlighting its balance, sophistication, and immediate drinkability.
• "Grace and Ken Evenstad purchased a 42-acre hilltop property in Dundee Hills in 1989 and named it after their daughter, Serene. To this day, Grace can be found here, her other property in France, or around the world supporting charity wine auctions. Her Domaine Serene Evenstad 2022 Reserve Pinot Noir has aromas of red cherry, red currant, and freshly ground cinnamon. It has silky soft tannins that support flavors of black cherry, clove, and red plum."