Medium ruby color; cherry, plum, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, cedar, clove, oak spice on the nose and palate.
Dry; supple tannins and balancing acidity. Delicious, ripe fruits. Complex, lush. Medium body. Superb wine from an exceptional vintage in the Willamette Valley. Grapes harvested from estate near the summit of the Dundee Hills, Domaine Lumineux’s 42-acre, LIVE certified, sustainable vineyard. It is blend of pinot noir clones—41% Block E Clone 115, 35% Block B Clone 114, 24% Block D Clone 943 777. The wine spent 16 months in 100% French oak, 40% new. 13.5% ABV
Domaine Lumineux was founded in 2019 by acclaimed filmmaker—and acclaimed winery owner—Francis Ford Coppola. Located in the renowned Dundee Hills, some of the vines were planted as early as 1997. Vineyard elevations range from 670 to 870 feet, delivering cool and late-ripening growing conditions. Certainly the grapes in this effort exhibit depth and ripeness and come from the premier blocks in the estate vineyards.
Initially, the effort was called Domaine de Broglie, reflecting Coppola’s passion for science and the groundbreaking work of Louis de Broglie’s work in quantum mechanics. In 2023, the operation changed its name to Domaine Lumineux to celebrate the relationship between light and wine. A new tasting room was part of the name change, a move forced when a fire destroyed the original tasting room in 2021. This was labeled with the new name even though the vineyards and winery had not yet changed names for this vintage. That is irrelevant. Only the type on the label changed, not the owners or winemakers.
Coppola remains at the head of the wine company. Winemaker Dave Petterson remains the winemaker, a role he has played since 2007—a dozen years before the Coppola acquisition. Prior to Coppola, the operation was called Vista Hills Vineyard. Coppola instituted minor tweaks, such as use of less sulfur and a focus on single-block designations for higher end pinot noirs. This reserve pinot noir is the winery’s premium offering, so represents the best of the best.
Domaine Lumineux Reserve Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2021 is wonderfully smooth and delicious masterpiece effort. It is the premium offering from Francis Ford Coppola’s Willamette Valley winery. Excellent vintage in the Willamette, well executed in the winery. Pair with quality cuts of beef—filet mignon, prime rib; turkey, duck, roast chicken, quail; seafood—salmon, Arctic char, rainbow trout, tuna, barramundi, mahi mahi, mackerel; lamb—buttterflied, chops, grilled; roast vegetables—butternut squash, mushrooms. Cheese—brie, camembert, goat cheeses, gruyère, brie, gouda, taleggio, cambozola, havarti, aged cheddar. $75-80
