Oregon winemakers increase vineyard holdings in France’s famous Côte d’Or with 15-acre expansion, including prestigious Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards in the Côte de Nuits
Dayton, OR (June 16, 2021) Evenstad Estates, home to Domaine Serene, Château de la Crée and Maison Evenstad, expands its Burgundian vineyard holdings by taking control of the renowned Domaine Christian Confuron et fils estate. This 15-acre expansion increases Evenstad Estates’ vineyard footprint in the Côte d’Or by roughly 60%, adding vineyards in the Côte de Nuits to current holdings in the Côte de Beaune.
The estate is comprised of prestigious Grand Cru vineyard blocks in Bonnes Mares and Clos de Vougeot, Premier Cru parcels in Chambolle-Musigny and Nuits-Saint-Georges, and village blocks in Comblanchien, Gilly-lès-Cîteaux, and Premeaux-Prissey.
“This expansion is a natural next step for us. We constantly seek the best terroir and vineyard sites in the world to fulfill our mission of providing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to our valued customers and wine club members,” said Ryan Harris, President & CEO of Evenstad Estates. “The opportunity to offer small production Burgundian wines of iconic quality exclusively to our most dedicated customers fits perfectly with that goal.”
While Burgundian vintners have been adding Oregon vineyards and wineries to their repertoire for decades, Evenstad Estates flipped the trend in 2015 with the acquisition of Château de la Crée and 25 acres of prime vineyard blocks in Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay, and Maranges. The first Oregon-based winemakers to produce a range of wines from Burgundy, Evenstad Estates offers these French wines for tastings and purchase at Domaine Serene locations and to its French wine club members, one of the only wine club programs in the world with a membership devoted solely to the wines of Burgundy.
“It was our passion for the great Pinot Noirs of Burgundy that first led us to Oregon to establish Domaine Serene in the Dundee Hills,” said Grace Evenstad, Owner, Founder, and Chair of the Board. “Standing in the vineyards of Burgundy, one feels the presence of centuries of wine history, and immense respect for the region’s unique terroir. For me, Bonnes Mares in particular has always been a personal favorite and a benchmark for what can be achieved with Pinot Noir grown in exceptional terroir. To own and farm Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards in the Côte de Nuits represents the achievement of a long-held vision. Serving as the steward of this prestigious estate for our generation is a true privilege.”
The Domaine Christian Confuron et fils estate is primarily comprised of Pinot Noir vineyards with a small percentage of land planted to the extremely rare Nuits-Saint-Georges Pinot Blanc. The land fits the Evenstad Estates approach to quality above all else. A portion of the vines were planted in the 1920’s and have been sustainably farmed for decades. The Grand Cru parcels in Bonnes Mares and Clos de Vougeot neighbor vineyards that produce wines that routinely score 97-100 points with international wine critics and publications.
To learn more about Evenstad Estates and future projects, visit our locations, or join the wine club or mailing list, visit www.DomaineSerene.com, call 503-864-4600 and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
About Evenstad Estates
Founded in 1989 by Ken and Grace Evenstad in the Dundee Hills, Evenstad Estates produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wine in Oregon and Burgundy, under the award-winning Domaine Serene, Château de la Crée, and Maison Evenstad labels.
The Evenstads became the first Oregon vintners to own land and produce wine in Burgundy with the 2015 acquisition of the historic Château de la Crée in Santenay. Soon after they created the Maison Evenstad wines to complement the portfolio. In all, the Evenstads own 40 acres of prime vineyards in Burgundy with 25 acres in the Côte de Beaune and 15 acres in the Côte de Nuits.
In Oregon, Evenstad Estates operates the Domaine Serene Clubhouse, a state-of-the-art winery and tasting room overlooking the Dundee Hills. Domaine Serene launched the innovative Domaine Serene Wine Lounge brand in 2018, creating outposts in Portland and Lake Oswego, with the third location opening in Bend in fall 2021. The winery currently produces wines from six individual vineyard estates, planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Evenstads own nearly 1,000 total acres of land in the hills of Yamhill County, with 300 acres planted to vine.
Having earned 95 points and above by wine critics an astounding 130 times and counting, the wines of Evenstad Estates represent the achievement that is possible in Oregon and Burgundy, the two finest regions in the world for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
For more information, visit www.DomaineSerene.com
