2008 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Evenstad Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (7/25/2017)
More experienced consumers of Oregon pinot will not be shocked, but I am a little tired of the Evenstad Reserve formula. It lacks a sense of place, and seems a bit contrived. Raspberry and currant aromas, with a hint of baking spice and leather lead to a nicely balanced mix of dark fruit and bit of mushroom and cinnamon (or in some years, clove) flavors and smooth tannins. But this can be said of most years. The 2008 I had tonight was barely distinguishable from the more lauded 2010. So, they get an A+ for consistency but the wine tops out here for its lack of place and complexity. To be sure, this is a good wine if you drink Oregon pinot one night every two weeks. But for more targeted consumers, this seems like a merely good melange that lacks the ability to reach greater heights expressed by others who are dedicated to the terroir. 91-92, with a long time to go, but not improving.
Do you think it was even in it’s drinking window yet? I have a few of these I bought at auction quite awhile ago. I wish I could trade them because I have grown out of Serene’s wines. They are very contrived to me as well. Crazy high extraction on some of their wines mixed with muting SVD sites. For the price you pay, it’s not remotely worth it to me.
I think that’s a bit harsh. I’m not sure even Caymus Special Selection is made entirely from estate fruit. Not so for Domaine Serene. The last I heard, it was all from estate vineyards and the quality of the Evenstad wines is quite high. I’d place the winery among the top 15 in Willamette Valley and 2008 was a particularly good and long-lived vintage. I reviewed it for The Wine Advocate but don’t remember my rating.
DoctorJay
Different strokes and all that, but I’m guessing your view is not shared by many OR wine lovers on this board. Have yet to try a Domaine Serene wine I’ve found interesting, especially at their price point.
Yup. I don’t care if they own the vineyards or not. The wines are formulaic, boring, and lacking sense of place. One of my absolute least favorite Willamette wineries.
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