Domaine Serene

For shutterbugs, Domaine Serene is the place to be. A plethora of photo ops await visitors; you’ll be thanking the techno gods for the invention of the digital camera, which allows you to snap, snap away. As you approach Domaine Serene, keep your eye out for panoramic views of this Tuscan-style winery in the distance, with its estate vineyards in the foreground. At the winery, potential shots include wrought-iron patio furniture in front of a Mediterranean-influenced wall, window shutters that exude elegance, and a spacious tasting room that would impress Louis the XIV. Relative to other Oregon wineries, this place is truly over the top.

However, owners Ken and Grace Evanstad may beg to differ. After all, they feel their establishment should mirror the excellence of Oregon’s pinot noirs; why take a back seat to wines from Burgundy, New Zealand, or California. Formerly of Minnesota, where Ken owned a pharmaceutical company, the Evanstads came west in late 1989 and purchased 42 acres in the Dundee Hills. That acreage would become Domaine Serene, named after their daughter. They might not have known much about growing grapes or making wine, but they brought with them considerable business expertise and a laser-sharp vision to make ultra-premium wines.

The Evanstads didn’t let a little inexperience get in the way. Instead, they resolved to make superlative pinot noir, and given the number of awards and accolades they’ve accumulated over the years, they have succeeded.

Visitors to Domaine Serene are welcomed and asked to sign in at the tasting room entrance. A $15 tasting fee gains a visitor access to outstanding samples of pinot noir, chardonnay, and syrah made under the winery’s Rockblock label. Visitors can sign up to become a member of one of three different Domaine Serene wine clubs, depending upon taste and budget, and purchase wine to take home. Make sure that wine is safely stowed for transit; at an average price of $75 per bottle for its pinot noirs, Domaine Serene will never be a leader in low prices. If it’s not sold out, you can be the first on your block to purchase a $200 bottle of Domaine Serene’s exclusive pinot noir cuvée called Monogram. Although many wine tourists and even connoisseurs might consider $200 a bottle to be pricey, it sends a message to the world that Oregon makes premier wines and should not be taken lightly.