Soléna Cellars
Just for curiosity’s sake, try Googling the name “Laurent Montalieu.” The result is page after page of references to his body of work as a winemaker for 25 wineries, a key partner of NW Wine Company, and the co-owner and winemaker for Soléna Cellars. We find Laurent’s signature throughout the Oregon wine industry and most importantly in the wines we enjoy. He is truly a master artisan.
The Carlton WineTrail includes a stop at Soléna Cellars, the creation of Laurent and his winemaking wife, Danielle Andrus Montalieu, and named for their daughter Solena. The name is a hybrid of two words that mean the sun and the moon, respectively. Outside the Montalieus’ Pine Street tasting room location, WineTrail trekkers will find their distinctive “S” sandwich board informing you that you’ve arrived at wine central! Here, you can sample Laurent’s Willamette Valley–derived pinot noirs and pinot gris, along with wines made from the harvest of warm-weather vineyards in Washington and southern Oregon. Prepare to experience merlot, zinfandel, and cabernet sauvignon, in addition to pinot gris and estate pinot noir. The list is a who’s who of Northwest vineyards with names like Klipsun, Del Rio, Shea, Wooldridge, and perhaps most important, the Montalieus’ own Willamette Valley 80-acre Estate Domaine Danielle Laurent Vineyard.
As you swirl and sip Soléna Cellars’ offerings, keep in mind that Laurent went through a lifetime of experience to get to this point. Imagine this: He grew up on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, but spent summers in his family’s homeland of Bordeaux. He immersed himself in his family’s love of making wine, which led to a degree from the renowned Institute of Oenology of Bordeaux. Following a circuitous route that eventually landed him as the chief winemaker for Bridgeview Vineyards in Cave Junction, Laurent began the Oregon chapter of his life. That stint led to a partnership and winemaking position with WillaKenzie Estate. Finally, in 2003, he left WillaKenzie to launch Soléna Cellars. Phew!
WineTrail tip: While in McMinnville, check out the NW Wine Bar at 326 NE Davis St. An offshoot of Laurent’s NW Wine Company (a state-of-the-art custom winemaking facility in McMinnville), the NW Wine Bar features wines from more than 25 different Oregon-based wineries. Here, you can experience wine by the sip, glass, flight, bottle, or case.
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Soléna Cellars was featured in WineTrails of Oregon as part of the Carlton WineTrail on page !
