Domaine Serene Winery — Attraction in Newberg

We visited Sunday May 1st 2022. They're pretty proud of having some of the best wine in the world and they've won a TON of awards. Yes indeedy, they have some amazing wine. For the beautiful grounds, stellar wine, and exceptional service, they deserve 5 stars. But...

It's stuffy. Pretentious. Stiff. The absolute opposite of chill. - 1 "star" for just not being as enjoyable as it should've been for how "great" it's purported to be. You should know this before making a rez and heading there to drop $100 - $1000 on tastings and wine. It's just not for everyone.

There are so many other wineries we've been to that are just as beautiful/great service/great wine that just do it less over-the-top. I'm not discouraging anyone from going here, but if you're wearing $100 jeans and Danners, you may feel out of place. In fact, I WAS wearing $100 jeans and Danners and my wife was wearing $60 jeans and Danner hiking boots LOL $400 jeans and $900 shoes are more the vibe here. We're not poor, but we just aren't fancy folks or fancy dressers. They won't sneer at you no matter what you're wearing, but YOU may feel awkward and unable to relax like us - because it's just SO not laid back here. You were warned.

If you've got an X5 or Cayenne and actually own "driving loafers" - and perhaps one or both of you wear a silk scarf in a non-ironic manner, you'll definitely fit in here. Bonus points for rolling up in a late model Range Rover and wearing a $4k leather jacket from Mario's. YOU are who will appreciate this place ; ) We go to wine country to chill and enjoy the "country" part of wine country and this place is like stepping into France. Which I guess is what they were going for...so "our bad" for not reading the writing on the wall (website).

Also, not the end of the world, but perhaps worth knowing: We clearly communicated we were bringing our DOG and showed up and "surprised" the young ladies at the front desk with our 11 pound chihuahua in tow (in his stroller, at that). He comes with us everywhere and yes I checked previously to make sure he was okay to accompany us on the patio (where we'd prefer to sit whether we "had to" or not). "Our patio isn't open", they exclaimed. Well, I guess you should've said that in your email reply before we drove 4 hours down from Seattle! Also, it's now May. The sun's out, it's 68 degrees, WHY is the patio not open? Not everyone wants to sit inside, especially when the sun is beaming down - not to mention there IS still Covid going around and we weren't comfortable sitting inside.

Thankfully, the tastings are pretty spread out (thanks to their reservation process), so no one was breathing down our neck (except the unmasked somm...). Sitting on the patio facing the sun and vines would've completely changed the experience for us, and is what we were expecting. Wish the reservation girl(s) would've replied and told us the patio wasn't open; we would've gone anywhere else.

Anyway, we were eventually accommodated in the main tasting room (I don't think they normally allow dogs inside, so call before if they don't have that patio furniture out of storage soon) and the wine and cheese was delicious, but the overall experience was just so stuffy and pretentious that we barely enjoyed ourselves. Just a weird, solemn mood/vibe in there, despite the gorgeous building and amazing wine. Everyone was being quiet - SO quiet. It might've been because the acoustics were so that you could hear a pin drop across the room. You feel like you can't have a private conversation without literally whispering. If you're super fancaayyy, you may like it, but there's so many other great wineries to find, we won't be back. There's nothing wrong with this place, in fact I'd say to most: "don't miss it". The wines ARE great and lots of people ARE fancaayyy. WE'RE just not those people, so we'll keep on visiting chiller places like Stoller, Brooks, Van Duzer, Sokol Blosser etc - and also exploring other, smaller wineries who need our money more and also...

Unforgettable Experience at Domaine Serene

Our visit to Domaine Serene was nothing short of extraordinary. From the moment we arrived, we were immersed in an atmosphere of elegance, knowledge, and world class hospitality.

Michael guided our tasting, and he was absolutely exquisite. His deep knowledge of the wines, vineyards, and terroir was impressive, he asked the right questions and tailored our tasting experience perfectly. It was fascinating to learn about how the soil and climate influence the grapes, something I had never fully appreciated before.

The winery itself is breathtaking. Nestled in the rolling hills of Oregon, Domaine Serene offers stunning views that stretch for miles. The limestone tasting rooms add a unique, almost ethereal ambiance, making the experience feel even more special. And knowing that they have a sister vineyard in France only adds to the prestige and craftsmanship behind their wines.

Every wine we tasted was exceptional, rich, complex, and beautifully balanced. Joining their wine club was an easy decision, as it offers more benefits than any other I’ve encountered. Plus, the food pairings were spot on. We indulged in oysters, a beautifully curated charcuterie board, and artisan breads, all of which elevated our tasting experience even further.

I truly can’t say enough great things about Domaine Serene. Whether you’re a seasoned wine enthusiast or just beginning to explore the world of wine, this is an experience you won’t want to miss. I highly encourage everyone to visit—you’ll be captivated from the first sip...

Wow, what a place. We are members at some other north WV wineries in Sherwood, Newberg and Dundee, and we very much enjoyed the extensive knowledge we inherited after visiting and speaking with Michael upon our first visit. We looked at the tasting menus and decided that was what we wanted to try out a selection from this top rated winery. When Michael showed up he told us to close that menu and began to question us on what kinds of wines we liked and what else we had tried in the valley. We had good long conversations on soil, temperature, acidity, etc. He went out of his way to let us try some special wines that are normally only available to “high level club members”. They were so, so, so good, albeit quite on the expensive side, $150+ per bottle. But alas, we joined to the mid-tier due to the great hospitality, some of the best Pinos we have tasted, and the snacks and food are also to die for. I have never considered bread and butter to be something I would want to come back for, but the home made butter is to-die for! On our second visit we had the freshest oysters we have ever had. Not too big, served on ice, not chewey at all. Then they brought out some special Champagne to pair with, it’s truly an experience you can’t get anywhere else. We are so happy to be members, and our second visit as members was even more memorable. Bravo to you all. Great...