Domaine Drouhin Oregon – Dayton, Oregon

The drive to Domaine Drouhin Oregon is a beautiful and breathtaking journey on the winding back roads of Yamhill County. There are vineyards around every bend and on every road!

In many ways those rolling hills with those straight rows of vines reminds me of Iowa cornfields. 

This family owned, 225 acre Domaine Drouhin estate is steeped in history, since the Drouhin family has been making wine in Burgundy, France since 1880.  In fact, the Domaine Drouhin Oregon winery motto is “French Soul, Oregon Soil”.

Third generation French winemaker Robert Drouhin first visited Oregon in 1961…The in 1979 and 1980, Oregon wines achieved high scores in blind tastings held in Paris and Burgundy. And that put the Willamette Valley and Yamhill County smack dab on the world wide wine map…in a very good way!

In 1986 the fourth generation of Drouhin winemakers was added when Mr. Drouhin’s daughter Veronique received a Master’s diploma in enology, the study of wines.  Veronique chose to leave France and head to the Willamette Valley where she worked the harvest with three of the oldest winemaking families in the area. 

In 1987, Veronique’s father Robert was invited to participate in Oregon’s first International Pinot Noir Celebration, held each year at Linfield College in McMinnville. And that’s when the family made the decision to buy land and create a winery in America. Robert selected land with an elevation that ranges from 400 to 800 feet. In fact, the climate and latitude is very similar to the vineyards in Burgundy, France…so Robert must have felt right at home! Soon grapevines took the place of wheat fields and Christmas trees on that beautiful land.

 

The Drouhin family believed that Oregon (not California) had the soil and the climate more perfectly suited to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. And it certainly appears they were correct.

In 1989 the gorgeous winery was constructed, with Veronique as winemaker and her brother Phillippe in charge of viticulture (the science, production, and study of grapes.)

So…enough about the history. How about that winery and that wine?

When we arrived, our friends Rick and Candy suggested that we walk around the building and onto the deck. And as soon as we rounded the corner I could see why.

The view was absolutely breathtaking.

Period.

And I don’t know why, but everyone on that deck seemed to whisper while they surveyed the scenery. It was almost as if we were in church. And I guess we really were…in Mother Nature’s church!

And what is church without wine?

Rick suggested a glass of Drouhin Oregon Roserock 2014 Pinot Noir…

An amazing choice…

And others nearby selected the Domaine Drouhin Dundee Hills Pinot Noir…

What a wonderful way to enjoy a gorgeous Oregon day! (Rick and I drank the wine while Candy and Fred drank in the view!)

After our glass of wine Rick and I stepped inside to see first-hand where that wonderful wine was made.

What a process!

And the tasting rooms inside were almost as beautiful as the deck outside.

Like I said…Almost!

So Rick and I headed back outside to join our spouses in Mother Nature’s tasting room…

We could hardly tear ourselves away from Domaine Drouhin Oregon…

But we had more places to go…winemakers to meet…and wine to taste.

So come along for the ride, and hold onto your hat. It’s another rag top day in wine country!