2013 Domaine Serene "Evenstad Reserve" Dundee Hills Pinot Noir

The 2013 Pinot Noir Evanstad Reserve is raised in barrel for 16 months using 57% new oak. It has a more complex bouquet compared to the Yamhill Cuv̩e with attractive raspberry and briary scents, the oak neatly integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with more red fruit than black, approaching soft(ish) tannin with a slight tinniness towards the finish that will hopefully recede with time. Enjoy this over the next 6-8 years, but don't hesitate if you feel like keeping it in the cellar for another 12-18 months. Few wineries are as easy on the eye as Domaine Serene. I visited on an idyllic spring morning, the drive up to the Dundee Hills winery affording a splendid view of the Willamette Valley (whereas last time I visited it was shrouded in fog). They are currently constructing what appears to be a huge tasting room facility, no doubt with panoramic views in every direction. Of course, the Evanstads hit the headlines earlier this year when they bought Ch̢teau de la Cr̩e in Santenay. It was a neat reversal of the trend for Burgundy winemakers investing in Oregon. (NM)