Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Brut
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The Land
The Dundee Hills are a single uplifted ridge of ancient Columbia River basalt sitting in the middle of the Willamette Valley, and the soil that weathered out of it, Jory, is the reason the AVA exists. Jory is deep red clay loam, iron-rich, free-draining, and low in vigor, which suits Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown for sparkling wine: vines struggle politely, berries stay small, and acidity holds. Domaine Serene planted its estate on the higher slopes above Dayton, where cooler nights and thinner topsoil push harvest later and keep sugars from running ahead of ripeness. The fruit for this wine comes from estate blocks that would otherwise go into the winery's single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which is not how most sparkling programs are built.
The Wine
Roughly equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, made in the traditional method with a second fermentation in bottle. The distinguishing move is the reserve: about 15% of each blend is drawn from a perpetual reserve held in small vessels, with components tracing back to the winery's first sparkling release in 2014. A portion of the base wine is barrel-aged for several months before tirage, and the wine then spends roughly three years on lees before disgorgement. That combination produces a texture more Champenois than West Coast: fine, persistent bubble, and a broad mid-palate under it. Look for Bosc pear, ripe apple, lemon oil, toasted almond, honey biscuit, and a distinct saline lift on the finish. Because this is a multi-vintage blend rather than a single harvest, the house style stays consistent year to year rather than tracking one growing season.
The People
Ken and Grace Evenstad came to Oregon from Minnesota in 1989 with a specific and then-unfashionable idea: that the Dundee Hills could produce Pinot Noir at the level of Burgundy, and that this required planting on hillsides rather than valley floor, at density, with the topsoil left thin. They named the estate for their daughter. Decades later the family added Château de la Crée in Santenay, farming in Burgundy and Oregon at once and moving people and ideas between them. The sparkling program began in 2014 and has been run as a long game since: reserve wine held back every year, nothing released young.
Food Pairing
Rich enough to carry a course rather than just start the meal. Dungeness crab with drawn butter, fried chicken with hot honey, a Comté and prosciutto board, or seared halibut with a lemon beurre blanc. The acidity and fine bead cut fat and salt cleanly, and the toasty lees character sits well with anything fried or browned. It is the bottle to open when you want the night to feel like an occasion without waiting for one.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
The Willamette Valley, nestled in Oregon, is a region renowned for its cool-climate wines, particularly its Pinot Noir. While Pinot Noir is its most celebrated variety, the valley is also home to other cool climate varieties like Chardonnay and Riesling. The region's unique terroir, characterized by rolling hills, volcanic and sedimentary soils, and a maritime climate influence, contributes to the elegance and complexity of its wines. The wines of the Willamette Valley offer a delicate balance between fruit, acidity, and earthiness. Its increasingly growing reputation places it among the world’s top regions for Pinot Noir.
