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Domaine Drouhin |
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Domaine Drouhin, Vero, & Cloudline Wines Domain Drouhin's winery is a landmark, sitting high in the Red Hills across from Archery Summit and Sokol Blosser Wineries, surrounded by sloping vineyards. It is the first four-level gravity flow winery built in Oregon, and in fact the first building built as a winery in Oregon. Designed to Winemaker Véronique Drouhin's specifications, it was completed in 1989. The winery is nestled deep into the hillside to take advantage of the coolness of the earth. The views from the dozens of windows are striking - east to the Cascade Mountains and the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson, and south across the Willamette Valley to the foothills of the Coast Range in the west. It is a striking work of architecture, in harmony with the tranquillity and natural beauty of its surroundings. The architecture is a merger of the Old and New Worlds; its simplicity echoes the gracefully articulated roofs of the early farm buildings in the valley, while the detailing of windows, doors and roof tiles discreetly reveals its French influence.
The nearly 100 acres of hillside vineyards that ribbon the estate are the very heart of Domaine Drouhin. The 225-acre estate site was selected for its remarkable similarity to the legendary vineyards of Burgundy, though the soils are dramatically different. Situated high on the slopes of Oregon's Red Hills, these vineyards share a nearly identical climate, latitude, and aspect with their counterparts in France. Domaine Drouhin places more emphasis on viticulture than most other producers in America. The vineyards are unique - perhaps the most densely-planted vineyards in the New World, with the vines tightly-spaced in narrow rows. This is also one of the few vineyards in the country to cultivate its own rootstocks, and propagate all of its own plant materials - meaning that everything planted on the estate is unique to the estate. DDO has been on the viticultural cutting edge in Oregon since their first plantings, and continue to set the pace in the vineyards. Véronique's brother Philippe Drouhin is in charge of all of the estate vineyards in Oregon and Burgundy, and it is his vision and passion that drives their advances and improvements in winegrowing year after year. The Wines
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