Meeting with owner/winemaker Jesse Lange, we talked about the latest happenings in the Willamette Valley. There has been some exciting news at Lange as Jesse he has promoted Dan Papa to co-winemaker as he has formerly been assistant winemaker over the past ten years. He makes wine with Jesse Lange “And I felt that the promotion was deserved. He has been amazing, spectacular palate and super hard-worker.” JJesse himself comes from a great pedigree, as Don and Wendy Lange are some of the pioneers of the Oregon wine industry. Back in 1987 Don and Wendy took a chance by acquiring a large chunk of land that had sweeping views of the Willamette Valley. Don made his namesake wines for many years and over time his son Jesse transitioned into their head winemaker, taking over for his father. Jesse’s formal winemaking training occurred at New Zealand’s Lincoln University while on a student exchange scholarship from Oregon State in 1999. Jesse then spent two years as cellar rat for winemaker Bruce McGuire at Santa Barbara Winery prior to coming back to his family winery. He joined the winemaking team in 2004
For years I have admired the range of wines that Lange produces. This is one of the historic vineyards and producers in the Dundee Hills. For years Lange has produced world-class Pinot Gris, flying that flag very high. Their wines are also extremely well-priced, as you won’t break the bank for a great bottle of wine. Such is the case with the outstanding 2023 Lange ‘Reserve’ Pinot Gris (OB, 93) which is a rich and beautifully textured Gris that has some good aging potential. I adored the 2022 Lange ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which is round and generous from this slightly cooler vintage. Learn more about these beautiful wines at https://www.langewinery.com/ and here are my reviews of the Lange wines.
2023 Lange Rose- Made from Pinot Noir grapes, this 2023 Rose comes entirely from their estate vineyard in the Dundee Hills. Right away this offers wild strawberry and cremini mushroom alongside orange peel notes. This has the slightest kiss of sweetness with the core of guava, strawberry and melon fruit flavors. Nervy and round, this is a gorgeous bottling. Drink 2024-2030- 92
2023 Lange ‘Classique’ Pinot Gris- Stored in nearly all stainless steel, the 2023 ‘Classique’ offers gooseberry and kiwi notes alongside passion fruit tones on the nose. The palate is lithe and polished with a bright sense of tension. This is drinking beautifully now. Drink 2024-2030- 91
2023 Lange ‘Reserve’ Pinot Gris- This 2023 ‘Reserve’ Pinot Gris was stored in a combination of neutral oak puncheons and concrete. This is dense and rich with a seamless texture and beautiful sense of verve. The stuffing and flavor density, with mouth-watering acidity and a bright salinity in its melon, beeswax and kiwi core is really outstanding. Drink 2024-2032- 93
2023 Lange ‘Classique’ Chardonnay- The beautiful 2023 Lange ‘Classique’ Chardonnay is a killer value from this slightly warmer vintage. Melon and starfruit tones make the nose alongside baking spices and challah bread. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured, as this comes from some of the older Dijon clone vines in the Willamette Valley. This is an incredible value. Drink 2024-2030- 92
2023 Lange ‘Classique’ Pinot Noir- The excellent 2023 Lange ‘Classique’ Pinot Noir is a great wine from this warmer vintage. This shows beautiful tension with a pretty core of bright red fruits alongside This shows a great sense of minerality with very pretty red raspberry, guava and Yakima cherry fruit flavors. Enjoy now and over the next six to eight years. Drink 2024-2031- 92
2022 Lange ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir- Mainly coming from the Yamhill and Hershey Vineyards which are both set on Willakenzie soils. This comes off very salty and savory with fresh herbs and salty soils alongside bright red fruits. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured with a great purity of red fruits, showing loads of mouth-watering acidity. Medium-bodied and fresh, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 93
2022 Lange ‘Three Hills Cuvee’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 Lange ‘Three Hills Cuvee’ Pinot Noir offers teaberry and shades of black truffle on the nose alongside kumquat zest. The palate is dense and rich with a great sense of freshness and good length. Beautiful now, enjoy over the next eight plus years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 92
2022 Lange ‘Lucky River Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This is the inaugural vintage of this wine that comes from a site roughly six miles south of the Freedom Hill Vineyard and set on Willakenzie soils. Vines are 22 years old, mainly Pommard, 115 and 777 clonal selection. The nose is wonderfully earthy with white truffle shavings, hazelnut and suggestions of white pepper alongside bright red fruits. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured with good sense of stuffing and bright acidity. Beautiful now, enjoy this well-balanced beauty now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2038- 94
2022 Lange ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 Lange ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from this famed property set on marine sedimentary soils. Lange has now been sourcing from this location for three decades. The nose is loaded with bright red fruits alongside blood orange zest, black truffle shavings and suggestions of cardamom. The palate is dense and fresh with a senseless texture. Generous and mineral-laden, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 94
2022 Lange ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Estate’ is a barrel selection wine coming from this 65 acre location in the Dundee Hills AVA set on Jory soils. The nose shows dense dark fruits with black florals alongside suggestions of marionberry and tangerine zest. The palate is dense and very volcanic soil-infused with its beautiful core of black and red fruits. Considering the vintage there is some really good flavor density. This has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2024-2040- 95