2019 Chevalier de la Cree Knights Templar Cuvee Cote de Beaune 750 ml

Domain Serene’s Evenstad family set out to climb the Burgundy hierarchy the same way they conquered Oregon: A detailed, hands-on approach that doesn’t settle for anything less than the best.

That started with the land: The chance to acquire the historic Château de la Crée was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Grace and Ken Evenstad.

The Château dates back to 1431, and is the former property of Nicolas Rolin, the legendary founder of the Hospice de Beaune—which now serves as the venue for some of Burgundy’s most legendary wines. Not only is the château itself impressive, it came with 25 acres of absolutely prime vineyards: nearly half their sites are Premier Crus.

From there, they added exceptional winemaking talent, drawing from the wealth of award-winning experience in Oregon to advise the team in Burgundy. And that team is led by rising-star winemaker Pablo Bosch, who counts Domaine Leroy’s $5,000 bottles on his résumé. 

And to that wealth of talent and opportunity, add in the outstanding 2019 vintage. The ‘19 season featured an abundance of sunshine, yet the wines take that richness and add in a fresh and brisk character with impressive concentration. It’s a sublime feat that left Stuart Piggott, writing for James Suckling, declaring that the vintage “has hit the bullseye” with its “rare combination of excellence and great consistency.”

The Knights Templar Cuvée, named for the legendary knights who established vineyards after returning from the Crusades, took full advantage of that exemplary growing season. Aged for 14 months in new French oak, it’s remarkably polished and refined, and has beautiful fruit, rich truffle flavors, and a long-lasting finish.