Domaine Serene Grand Cheval 2018

Domaine Serene Grand Cheval 2018 is a proprietary red blend from Oregon's Willamette Valley, bottled at 750ml. The name Grand Cheval — French for "Great Horse" — signals the winery's most ambitious red wine, a limited-production cuvée that stands apart from the Pinot Noir-dominated landscape of the region by drawing on Bordeaux and Rhône-inspired varietals grown in Oregon soil.

Quick Facts: Origin: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA  |  Vintage: 2018  |  Proprietary Red Blend  |  Winery: Domaine Serene

Production & Heritage

Domaine Serene was founded in 1989 by Ken and Grace Evenstad in the Dundee Hills AVA of Oregon's Willamette Valley. The estate gained international recognition for producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay capable of rivaling top Burgundy bottlings, and the Evenstads later purchased Château de la Crée in Burgundy's Santenay, deepening their Franco-American winemaking ties. Grand Cheval represents the winery's departure from varietal wines — a proprietary blend vinified in their gravity-flow winery and aged in French oak barrels. The 2018 vintage benefited from a growing season that brought warm, even ripening across the Willamette Valley, yielding concentrated fruit with structural balance.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark plum and blackberry lead, followed by layers of cassis, tobacco leaf, and toasted cedar. With air, violet and espresso notes emerge alongside a thread of dark earth.

Taste: The entry is dense and richly textured, with ripe blackcurrant and boysenberry giving way to baking spice and dark chocolate at the mid-palate. Firm, fine-grained tannins provide architecture, while integrated acidity keeps the wine focused and energetic despite its weight.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering notes of graphite, black pepper, and toasted French oak. The tannin structure suggests this wine has significant aging potential over the next decade or more.

How to Drink Grand Cheval

Grand Cheval is best served at 60–65°F in a large-bowled glass, ideally decanted for 45 minutes to an hour before drinking. This wine is built for the table, not the cocktail shaker, but its bold profile makes it a commanding partner for food. Pair it with grilled lamb chops with herb crust, where the wine's dark fruit and tannin cut through the richness. Braised short ribs in a red wine reduction mirror the wine's depth and spice. A charcuterie board featuring aged salami and hard cheeses like Comté or aged Gouda highlights its savory undertones.

Best For

• Gifting a serious wine collector who already has a cellar full of Pinot Noir
• Anchoring a multi-course dinner party with red meat or game dishes
• Cellaring for a milestone occasion five to ten years from now
• Exploring premium Oregon wines beyond the state's Pinot Noir identity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Grand Cheval taste like? Grand Cheval 2018 delivers a bold, layered profile of black fruit — plum, cassis, and blackberry — woven with dark chocolate, baking spice, and graphite, all supported by firm yet polished tannins.

How does Grand Cheval compare to Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir? Where the Evenstad Reserve is a single-varietal Pinot Noir emphasizing elegance and red-fruited nuance, Grand Cheval is a fuller-bodied proprietary blend built for weight, tannin structure, and cellar aging. The two wines represent very different philosophies from the same estate.

Is Grand Cheval good for cellaring? Yes — the 2018 vintage has the tannin backbone and acidity to develop gracefully in a temperature-controlled cellar, and it should reward patience over the next ten or more years.

Where is Grand Cheval made? Grand Cheval is produced by Domaine Serene at their estate winery in the Dundee Hills AVA, a sub-appellation within Oregon's Willamette Valley, approximately 30 miles southwest of Portland.

What foods pair well with Grand Cheval? Grilled or braised lamb pairs naturally with the wine's tannin and dark fruit. Beef tenderloin with a peppercorn crust echoes its spice notes. Hard aged cheeses like Comté or Manchego complement its savory character. Wild mushroom risotto bridges the wine's earthy undertones. Dark chocolate desserts with 70%+ cacao mirror its cocoa and roasted notes.

What sizes does Grand Cheval come in? Domaine Serene Grand Cheval 2018 is available in the standard 750ml bottle.

Is Grand Cheval worth the price? Grand Cheval positions as a premium, limited-production expression at the top of Domaine Serene's portfolio, and it competes in the ultra-premium tier of American proprietary red blends — a category where its Oregon provenance and estate pedigree distinguish it from more common Napa Valley offerings.

Why Grand Cheval?

Grand Cheval exists because Domaine Serene's founders believed Oregon could produce world-class wines beyond Pinot Noir. This 2018 release showcases what happens when a meticulous estate — one that earned its reputation going head-to-head with Burgundy Grand Crus — turns its gravity-flow winery and French oak program toward a bold red blend. In a market saturated with Napa Cabernet, Grand Cheval offers a structurally serious alternative rooted in the Willamette Valley's cooler climate, delivering concentration without sacrificing freshness. It is one of the most distinctive proprietary reds produced in the Pacific Northwest.