Naples, Fla. – February 16, 2022 – Since the development of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, Grace Evenstad, founder and owner of Domaine Serene Vineyards and Winery has been a foundational supporter of the event and the wonderful charities that benefit from it.
This year Domaine Serene participated in the highly anticipated in-person return of the Naples Winter Wine Festival at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida, and raised $360,000 for children’s charities in the Collier County area. Celebrating the 22nd anniversary of the Festival, over $23 million was raised at Saturday’s Live Auction, adding to the almost $245 million raised since its inception in 2001. The prized lot was won by Herb and Lin Henkel of Naples.
Domaine Serene donated a sought-after auction lot titled The View from the Dundee Hills, which included a four night stay and luxury wine experience in Oregon at the Domaine Serene Winery Hill House. A wide range of delights including a 48-bottle selection of top wines from both Domaine Serene and Château de la Crée, the Evenstad’s 15th Century Wine Estate in Burgundy, was the central feature of the lot and set a new record price for an auction lot from an Oregon winery. The curated package brought in nearly double the amount of previous years, a contribution Domaine Serene is proud to be part of making happen.
“I believe that every child deserves a chance in life, yet so many kids simply don’t have that opportunity. My family and I have always believed in doing what we can to give those kids a fighting chance so that they in turn can grow up in healthy and safe environments and hopefully be in a position to help others in the future.”, said Grace Evenstad when asked about her thoughts on philanthropy.
Grace is a fixture at the Naples Winter Wine Festival and has attended every auction for the past twenty-two years, serving as a past Festival Chair and now as a Lifetime Trustee. Her personal generosity is not central to this one event, or this single cause, as her wines also play an important role in charitable events across the country.
Charitable giving is an essential part of the fabric that makes up the culture at Domaine Serene, Château de la Crée and the legacy of Grace and Ken Evenstad. The Evenstads and the Evenstad Estates brands have now donated or raised more than $20 million for philanthropic causes including their 2018 endowment of The Evenstad Center for Wine Education at Linfield University in McMinnville, OR.
About Evenstad Estates
Founded in 1989 by Ken and Grace Evenstad in the Dundee Hills, Evenstad Estates produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sparkling Wines in Oregon and red and white Burgundy, under the award-winning Domaine Serene, Château de la Crée, and Maison Evenstad labels.
The Evenstads became the first Oregon vintners to own land and produce wine in Burgundy with the 2015 acquisition of Château de la Crée and 25 acres of prime vineyards in Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay, and Maranges.
In June 2021, the Evenstads expanded its Burgundian vineyard holdings by taking control of the renowned 15- acre Domaine Christian Confuron et fils estate, comprised of prestigious Grand Cru vineyard blocks in Bonnes Mares and Clos de Vougeot, Premier Cru parcels in Chambolle-Musigny and Nuits-Saint-Georges, and village blocks in Comblanchien, Gilly-lès-Cîteaux, and Premeaux-Prissey.
In Oregon, Evenstad Estates operates the Domaine Serene Clubhouse, a best-in-class hospitality center overlooking the Dundee Hills. Domaine Serene launched the innovative Domaine Serene Wine Lounge brand in 2018, creating outposts in Portland and Lake Oswego, and Bend. The winery currently produces wines from seven individual vineyard estates, planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Evenstads own nearly 1,000 total acres of land in the hills of Yamhill County, with 360 acres planted to vine.
Having earned 95 points and above by wine critics an astounding 250 times and counting, the wines of Evenstad Estates represent the achievement that is possible in Oregon and Burgundy, the two finest regions in the world for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
For more information, visit www.DomaineSerene.com
