Poised atop the Dundee Hills, with gentle slopes that capture the breezes and sunshine, our 235-acre estate overlooking the Willamette Valley produces some of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit in the world.
The Drouhin Family
Estate Vineyards
Poised atop the Dundee Hills, with gentle slopes that capture the breezes and sunshine, our 235-acre estate overlooking the Willamette Valley produces some of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit in the world.
Robert Drouhin’s vision of an Oregon estate winery that could rival the great vineyards of Burgundy has been realized at DDO. From what began as test plantings of cloned Pinot Noir rootstock, Domaine Drouhin now encompasses 124 acres of hillside vineyards. Interspersed with the Pinot Noir vines are 11 acres of Chardonnay, planted at various elevations and, like in Burgundy, planted right alongside rows of Pinot Noir.
Everything planted at DDO is unique to the estate. We also have two large blocks of rootstock planted on the estate, so we can graft the cuttings onto rootstock that we have grown ourselves. We grow and plant rootstocks that we’ve learned are well suited to the specifics of our vineyard sites in terms of site elevation, soil depth, and moisture-holding capacity. In this way we can maintain the highest level of quality control over our plant material.
Our densely planted vines are farmed sustainably, L.I.V.E. certified, and tended to by hand when leaves and fruit are thinned; harvesting is also
done entirely by hand.
Est. 1989
Landmark Gravity Flow Winery
All of our wines are crafted by hand in our four-level gravity flow winery built atop the Drouhin family’s 235 acre estate in the Dundee Hills of Oregon.
Our goal is to craft wines naturally with gentle treatment and minimal manipulation. It is our hope that our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay will be appreciated for their classic finesse, elegance and for the true reflection of their origin; their terroir.
Once the grapes have reached full maturity with a perfect balance between brix and acid, and fruit and tannin, they are hand-picked into small 25 pound totes, insuring the arrival of pristine, uncrushed fruit at our four-level gravity-flow winery. Everything we do in the winery is intended to preserve the unique qualities that nature provided for us in the vineyards.
Active fermentations last 7-12 days, during which time the age-old Burgundian techniques of pigeage (punch-down) and remontage (pump-over) are used as means of gentle extraction. Fermentations are long and
careful and once complete, the free-run juice is moved via gravity to the third level of our winery, the barrel cellar.
Our Pinot Noir is aged in both new (20%) and neutral French Oak barrels. Barrels are custom made for us in Burgundy, using oak from France’s best forests, which we feel allows the character of the wine and vintage to show through. Once the secondary, malolactic, fermentation is complete, the wines are racked off their lees via gravity and back into barrel.
After 12-14 months in oak, Véronique selects barrels for each of our three cuvée’s and the wines are then blended and allowed to rest for several months before moving to the final level of the winery, our bottle room. At this final stage, the wines again are moved via gravity into bottle and then allowed to mature 6 to 18 months before release.
Our Oregon Team
David Millman, Managing Director
David Millman joined DDO in 2004 after a 20-year career in the music business, working for several record companies and eventually running his own public relations and marketing firm. In addition to his duties with DDO, David has served on several boards, and has been Board President of both the International Pinot Noir Celebration and Oregon Pinot Camp. He is active in supporting the Salud Auction, and frequently serves on industry committees.
Arron Bell, Asst. Winemaker & Operations Manager
Arron Bell joined DDO in July of 2002, and was promoted in 2009 to the specially created position of Assistant Winemaker & Operations Manager. Arron is in charge of production operations, and is responsible for helping Véronique achieve her vision for each vintage. He also regularly travels on behalf of DDO to talk about the intricacies of the Drouhin style, and what sets our wines apart.
Ashley Bell, Director of Sales & Education
Ashley Bell joined DDO in 2004, and is an integral part of the Domaine Drouhin experience. She is responsible for managing the hospitality department, and oversees all aspects of direct sales, hospitality and staff education. Ashley was a founding member of the Dundee Hills AVA board, and sat on the City of Dundee tourism commission for two years. She is often at major wine events representing DDO, and is a wealth of history and information.