I love Oregon wineries that continue to deliver year in and year out. Such is the case with Lange, one of Oregon’s historic wineries. It was back in 1987 that Don Lange 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 made world-class wines for years.
The new wines come from the warm 2023 vintage. I love the 2023 Lange ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is laden with minerality and nuance. Learn more about these beautiful wines at https://www.langewinery.com/ and here are my reviews of the Lange wines.
2023 Lange ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The really good 2023 Lange ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir comes from a range of sites throughout the Willamette Valley. On the nose this shows off bright red florals with cranberry, black tea and salty soil accents. The palate is soft and beautifully textured, showing good weight and a great combination of black and red fruit flavors, with great tension and a light dusting of salinity. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2023 Lange ‘Liberty Bell’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Liberty Bell’ was sourced from the Freedom Hill Vineyard, with Pinot Noir vines that date back to the 1980s. Orange peel and pipe tobacco fill the nose alongside wild strawberry and shades of loganberry puree. The palate is tension-filled and juicy, loaded with bright red fruits that mingle well with salty soil accents. This is already drinking beautifully in its heady youth. Drink 2025-2035- 93