Harvest 2011 Is In The Books!

The early part of the 2011 growing season was marked by a prolonged La Nina cycle, which brought cooler than average temperatures to the Pacific Northwest. As a result, the North Willamette Valley experienced cooler than average temperatures in the spring and early summer, which delayed both bud break and flowering. Bud break occurred in early April, followed by bloom in late June through early July. Cooler than average temperatures persisted in the summer, but under very pleasant and dry conditions. The La Nina cycle began to subside in the middle of the summer and veraison (the onset of color change) took place during the latter portion of August. Conditions in September were nearly picture perfect for ripening, with above average temperatures and dry conditions. The first half of October was fairly wet, but true Indian Summer conditions rolled in during the second half of the month and allowed for a protracted finish to the growing season. - Erik Kramer, Winemaker

Winemaker, Erik Kramer, Discusses Fermentation Management

We Are Ready!

What can I say about Domaine Serene for this 2011 vintage? WE ARE READY! The team, permanents and interns, had enough time to make their mark and tell the winemaker what they would like to perform for this promising vintage. The tanks and barrels are clean and ready, and I’m proud to say that I’m no longer in our big, but really practical, facility. It was really nice to have time to explore this wonderful part of Oregon and taste what the wineries of the Willamette Valley have to offer while we waited for the fruit and ff course, to enjoy our stay at “The Ritz”, our wonderful vineyard house. Ah, but now the fruit is here! Let’s get this vintage started Team Serene … and remember: Only the Best! – Alex, Harvest Intern

Grace Evenstad Discusses Hand Sorting

I can eat croissants every morning!

After 10 tons of Syrah about two weeks ago we had been waiting for grapes till Monday the 17th of October, which obviously means the winery is spotless and more than ready to receive fruit. Thanks to that delay, Erick Kramer, the winemaker, had much more time to talk with the interns, he explained how he wants to work, for him the different coopers of barrels have a real influence on the wine, and he showed us how to sample in the vineyard. Our point of view is very important for him.

We are about to start our third busy day today, the two previous days preceded very well: The grapes came in very healthy and full of flavor; the team works well together and the cook is very good. The meals are very tasty, croissants every morning. I am French, and this is the first time abroad, I can eat croissants every morning! - Mathieu Delarbre, Harvest Intern

This place is … wow ….

My first experience of Domaine Serene is when I walked into The Ritz (the intern accommodation). This place is ….wow….the words ‘luxurious, opulent and generous’ spring to mind. I asked Rachel (as she had just picked me up from Portland and the airport – thanks Rach, you’re the best!) “is this really the INTERN accommodation?? This place is way too flash!!” As it turns out it is and I am very thankful for the extremely comfortable and relaxing accommodation, I know we will be very well looked after here.

It has been about five weeks since I started here at Domaine Serene. In this time we have spent a lot of time preparing the winery for when the grapes come in. Cleaning everything so it is completely spotless, preparing the new barrels ready for when we have to rack the finished Pinot Noir and sampling the grapes in the vineyards to get an accurate representation of what is happening to the grapes flavour and sugar wise has served nicely as a lead in to this harvest. We are all very excited, just like when we were kids waiting for Christmas! - Peter McGeehan, Harvest Intern

First Fruit of 2011

Let the Games Begin!

This year’s harvest is indeed right around the corner. We’re anticipating an exciting beginning to the 2011 vintage today! Domaine Serene’s first scheduled pick this year is clone 777 from our Jerusalem Hill Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills. The weeks preceding the commencement of harvest have been interesting to observe. At this point, the season has been somewhat comparable to 2010 in terms of grapevine phenology (e.g. budbreak, flowering, etc.). September was very generous in terms of sunlight and degree days. October has been cooler and slowed down development slightly. However, we have seen very good flavor and tannin development is skins and seeds. Our observations in the field have shown that flavor development has well surpassed sugar development – a positive and welcome attribute of this cool vintage. Right now, I am very optimistic about what 2011 has to offer and I believe the wines may be comparable to 2010 (wines with good flavor, balanced richness and structure). We’ll simply have to wait and see how things unfold. Let the games begin! - Erik Kramer, Winemaker

2010 Vintage Recap

The 2010 growing season was one of the longest on record, with early bud break followed by late bloom and the latest harvest start in our 21 years of winemaking. Yes, it was a cool vintage, but that is one of the things that makes Oregon so special; it focuses flavors and intensifies the structure of our wines. Our continued commitment to dry farming gives us vines with deep root systems that contribute to the natural resilience of the plants themselves as well as to the soil structure. Cool weather, combined with longer hang-time provided slow, even development, free from heat spikes, giving us wines of elegance and finesse. Through clonal diversity, exacting vineyard management, and meticulous winemaking techniques we feel that the 2010’s have achieved wonderful flavor development, age-worthy acid structure, well developed tannins and the lower alcohols commonly associated with Oregon wines. Yes, 2010 will have lower alcohol without sacrificing flavor. Only nature can pull this off with elegance and balance.

Short, sweet and delicious!

Ken and Grace’s Thanksgiving dinner! By far the highlight of harvest meals happened today. Turkey, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, curry peas, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Complete with pumpkin pie and ice cream! Spoiled, full and happy. Delicious… Back to the grapes! - Rachel Zasdani, Lab QC Technician

Purple hands and pumpkin pie!

It’s getting so exciting. Today I had to come early in the morning to check Brix and temperatures. It was dark, scary and foggy around the vineyards I walk through. First grapes we got were syrah and most of it is still fermenting. My hands are all purple after the shift. All the punchdowns and pumpovers are waiting for me and Akiko. I love punching down the syrah, too bad it’s almost over and we have to press it soon. It looks great and we are proud of it, because we worked hard to push down the cap twice every day. Now, it’s pinot’s turn! Maybe I’ll get to do some barrel work today after lunch. We still have some new barrels to prepare and season.

I’m glad I can be off almost the whole afternoon every day, so I can have a rest in the Ritz. Last weekend I got to work, but only on Saturday and enjoyed a rainy Sunday off. Weather is getting crazy around here, you can spot a rainbow during the day and then see a lighting at night. But I’m sure we’ll get some good weather this week. Grapes still need sun.

Oh, and I love our cook. Yesterday we had the best tacos I have ever tasted. Thank you, James! Please do the sweet potatoes dish again, oh and the white chocolate brownies… and the pumpkin pie!! - Lidyia, Harvest Intern

Harvest has properly arrived!

Finally! It’s been a late one up here in Oregon. Pinot is rolling in by the tons, literally. Guadalupe Vineyard arrived first, with Legacy Hill a close second. It smells and feels like Harvest 2010, with our Syrah fermenting happily, Pinot Noir cold soaking and Chardonnay being pressed. Needless to say, we’re quite busy around the winery. We’ve even found time for bottling our 2008 Winery Hill, with prized 2008 Monogram in line for tomorrow. Happy harvesting! Ready. Set. GO! - Rachel Zasadni, Lab QC Technician

Fruit at last!

Starting October 4th we are finally getting our hands red and sticky. We received Syrah from Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Oregon, and it looked beautiful. All of us in the cellar are very excited to get the ball rolling on harvest and make some fine wines for the 2010 vintage. We are ready to fill all our perfectly cleaned tanks with juice and must. Cheers to the start of 2010 vintage. Pinot is next! – Robin, Harvest Intern

We are waiting for you, Grapes!

I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 months since I arrived in Oregon. All of us interns are getting ready for harvest. Everything in the winery should be shining before receiving any fruit. Our first grape experience in Domaine Serene will be syrah. This is one of my favorite varieties, by the way. I just love its complex aroma and deep color. We already got some samples of the grapes from Walla Walla Valley and the rose colored juice looked wonderful. So after a few weeks of bottling it is nice to have a break and work on some vintage preparation. We split into teams to be more efficient and I think we are doing really well and moving quickly. Moving around all our picking bins and fermentation tubs provide forklift practice since most of us are still beginners. It’s a very useful, but dangerous vehicle. Be careful everyone and always wear your seat belt! We are getting excited to know what everyone’s harvest assignment will be. I know there will be more than enough work for all of us once those grapes arrive.

Domaine Serene provides wonderful housing, just a vineyard’s stroll away from the winery. We walk up the hill every day to the cellar so by the time we start working we are already warmed up. It is actually very beautiful to walk by the vineyards and see how they ripen day by day.
This past weekend was our last whole weekend off. We explored the area, recharged our batteries and got ready for the impending Syrah!

It is my forth vintage, but my first one in Oregon and I can’t wait to see the whole process between grapes and wine in this region. – Lidyia, Harvest Intern

Harvest Interns 2010!

The Domaine Serene Harvest Intern Program attracts the best of the best from around the world. Here is our Intern Class of 2010!

Josh Smith arrived from Santa Cruz, CA on August 3, 2010 officially becoming our first intern for the 2010 Harvest. Originally from Orange County, CA, Josh has been attending UC-Santa Cruz., majoring in molecular, cell, and developmental biology. He attended a lecture that Eleni gave earlier this year and successfully secured a spot for his first harvest in the wine industry.

Lidyia Pelova joins us from Bulgaria fresh off a harvest at Drylands Winery in New Zealand. Lidia graduated from University of Food Technologies Plovdiv, Bulgaria with a major in fermentation science. She has worked for a winery in Bulgaria and for Oenofrance Bulgaria, a company for enological products. This is her third visit to the United States.

Robin Hawley has most recently worked a vintage in New Zealand with Mud House Wines. Robin graduated from Oregon State University with a Masters in Genetics but has been in the wine industry for a while now. She has worked the previous 5 years in Oregon with King Estate Winery.

Sylvain Mussigmann (Harvest Enologist) joins us from southern France via a recent harvest in New Zealand with Mud House Wines. Sylvain graduated from Pharmacy University in Montpellier with a Masters in Oenology. He has worked nine previous vintages in France and around the world, including wineries in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Alsace.

Colin Rudy is a Texan. Like many other Texans, he likes (good) wine a lot. He got hooked on wine while studying Spanish in Spain and while working in the restaurant industry. While he believes his future is on the sales and marketing end of the wine industry, he has very much enjoyed spending time on the production end. He has worked two previous harvests, one in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma at Merry Edwards, and one in McLaren Vale, Australia at Mollydooker.

Akiko Shiba is Japanese, originally from Tokyo. She spent 8 years in Germany studying Oenology and Viticulture in Geisenheim, and worked at several wineries in Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Nahe and Baden. Akiko arrived in the US in April 2009 and moved to Oregon. She worked the previous year at St Innocent winery.

Tim Wilson (Harvest Enologist): Originally from Minnesota and armed with a degree in economics, Tim initially embarked on a career in the banking industry. Quickly tiring of life in a cubicle, his interest in science and love of fine wine ultimately led to CSU Fresno, where he completed a B.Sc. in enology. His years of winemaking experience include stops in Seattle and San Luis Obispo, but it was his commitment to pinot noir that brought him to the Willamette Valley.