Eleni Papadakis from Domaine Serene on Winemaking

Catch this great interview with our first female winemaker guest, Eleni Papadakis. Hear her story of how she went from philosophy major to pursuing law to landing a part-time job in a winery and becoming a renowned winemaker. With a broad range of winemaking experience, old and new world techniques, and mentoring with some of the best, Randall Grahm from Bonny Doon, she has carved out a name for herself and her highly sought after Domaine Serene Oregon Pinot Noir and Rockblock Syrah.

2006 Seven Hills Rockblock Syrah Domaine Serene

This is a fantastic Oregon Syrah and it’s made by M. Eleni Papadakis at Domaine Serene. Maybe there is some truth to the parallel theory! This sexy Syrah is Fruit forward with aromas of ripe cherry, Asian spices, lavender, black olive and tobacco. The silky textured palate displays black cherry, cola, anise, dried plum, cocoa and toast with fine tannins. The 2006 Rockblock Reserve is lithe, forward and approachable. PURCHASE HERE

The Rockblock label started in 1999 with a sole focus: vineyard designated Oregon Syrah. We have focused on the warmer areas of Oregon in the south and east where Syrah can achieve maximum expression of character and ripeness.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The name Rockblock was chosen to reinforce the concept that the most profound expressions of Syrah are grown in areas where the soils are nutrient poor and often “rocky”. All of the Syrah vineyards we work with have these intense and distinctive characteristics.

A passion and commitment to produce the world’s best Pinot Noir led Grace & Ken Evenstad to Oregon in 1989. They founded Domaine Serene in the Dundee Hills located in the North Willamette Valley, where Oregon Pinot Noir began and where its heart remains. Domaine Serene owns 3 vineyard estates totaling 462 acres. 150 acres are planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and the remaining property has been left in its natural state . Vineyards are dry farmed using sustainable, environmentally friendly farming practices for extremely low crop yields which produce consistently elegant, concentrated, award winning wines. Robert Parker, famous wine critic, rated Domaine Serene as one of only two outstanding producers of Pinot Noir in Oregon. The 17th Annual Wine & Spirit’s Restaurant Poll named Domaine Serene Pinots as the Most Popular Oregon Pinot Noir in the country. In the now legendary “Domaine Serene vs. Domaine de la Romanée Conti” blind tasting, Domaine Serene bested the most sought after Pinot Noirs in France. Renowned wine writer, Anthony Dias Blue, declared Domaine Serene the “Château Lafite of Oregon.”

Philosophy
The entire Domaine Serene team is committed to growing, producing and marketing consistently outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. All resources are focused on this goal.

Wine Production
Domaine Serene produces exquisite estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their vineyard management and winemaking practices are designed to ensure complex, concentrated and elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay year after year.

Domaine Serene’s farming practices are designed to produce very low crop level for concentrated flavors. Our fourteen year average is 1.7 tons per acre. All of Domaine Serene’s grapes are handpicked and hand-sorted on a conveyer belt to remove all imperfect fruit and other matter. The various small lots from each vineyard are kept separate in small open-top fermentors, and in small French cooperage selectively sourced from several French forests. There is minimal intervention and only gentle gravity flow movement of wine from beginning to end. Pinot Noir is in barrel about 14-18 months, is not fined or filtered, and is racked only at bottling. The Estate-grown Dijon clone Chardonnay is fermented in small, French cooperage and aged sur lies for 10-15 months. Bottled wines are aged about one year before release, often longer for single vineyard Pinot Noir. The 2000 harvest yielded approximately 9,500 cases of wine.

Ratings
91 Points - “Dense, smooth and generous, this is beautifully focused to show its floral–accented blackberry, currant and plum fruit, which lingers on the well–stuffed finis. Not heavy, but packed with flavor. Needs cellaring. Best from 2010 through 2016″ – Wine Spectator