An authentic slice of France moved into the Ribbon Ridge AVA of the Willamette Valley when Bruno Corneaux and his engaging wife, Isabelle, planted a vineyard in 2014.
As a fourth generation Burgundian vintner, Corneaux’s passion to share the similarities and the differences of grape growing through captivating storytelling bridges the miles and makes visitors feel truly connected in an intimate way.
“Part of the experience is to share our vision of what pinot noir should be in Oregon,” Corneaux said.
While his heart may always be in his homeland, he knew if he was ever able to see his dream of a tasting room come to fruition, it’d be an ode to the sense of place he now enjoys. In the Northwest barn-style tasting room at Domaine Divio—replete with a stone fireplace, casual furnishings, ample natural light and massive sliding doors that invite the outside in—this couple has brought to life the Galic meaning of Divio; a gathering place or sacred place.
Currently sourcing from the Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills and Chehalem Mountain, Corneaux is concentrating on Burgundian varietals only. Guests can step right up to the charming apothecary bar and enjoy distinctively different flavor profiles as they move through a tasting.
Dark red fruit and a velvety finish are the highlights of the 2012 Pinot Noir Eola Amity Hills. His 2013 Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountain—now known lovingly in the Valley as a winemaker’s year—presents with ripe strawberry on the nose and its lively acidity makes it a very food-friendly pinot and an excellent candidate for aging. My two favorites: 2013 Chardonnay delivers laser focus and 2012 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills is a luscious representation of the earthy pinots that Oregon is world-renowned for with beautiful hints of spice—a characteristic akin to his native Burgundy.
A true boutique winery, total case volume from their 2013 Willamette Valley Chardonnay was all of 25 which increased to 50 in 2014 and 150 in 2015. Those numbers will surely climb when the twelve acres under vine are harvested in 2017 and 2018.
Corneaux’s focus on farming the 23-acre site biodynamically stems from extensive research and a core belief system to leave the world better than it was found. He strives to share that passion with tasting room visitors and recently celebrated Earth Day with a unique proposition—plant your own legacy.
Along with donating all tasting fees on that weekend to the Earth Day Network, attendees were invited to take a complimentary Pinot Noir vine cutting home with them, nurture it with Preparation 500 (vineyard-derived fertilizer matured in a cow horn over the winter), bring it back on their Pre-Memorial Day Weekend celebration and plant it in the Domaine Divio estate vineyard. Guests not in attendance for this exciting opportunity can still participate in the Saturday, May 21 event and have a vine labeled with their name for a $25 fee.
Mother’s Day was also marked in a special way. Local artist, Nicole Williford, was on hand to create live art sketches of all the moms who came out and the final renderings were compliments of Domaine Divio.
It’s these thoughtful touches that are the essence of what Bruno and Isabelle are creating within their wine club, En Primeur, and with every winery guest. Building community around a common love, celebrating the everyday as exceptional and creating future vintages with new friends is the firm foundation this engaging vigneron brings to the Willamette Valley story.
