($40): Oregon, particularly the Willamette Valley, is well known as the home of stylish Pinot Noir.  Chardonnays from this valley south of Portland receive less attention, and acreage devoted to that grape actually fell in recent years, largely because early wines were made with fruit from a clone of Chardonnay from California that turned out to be unsuited to Oregon climate.  However, wines made from Dijon clones of Chardonnay, which originally hail from Burgundy, are entirely different, often representing a cross between the ripeness of California Chardonnays and the minerality of white Burgundies.  Côte Sud Vineyard, planted entirely with Dijon clones, provides the fruit for one of Domaine Serene’s single vineyard Chardonnays.  The 2003 version, similar to its predecessors, offers a luxurious balance of ripe fruitiness harmonized with bracing citric acidity and surrounded by a subtle creamy oakiness. 91 Michael Apstein Dec 26, 2006