2017 Lange Pinot Noir Liberty Bell Willamette Valley Oregon 750 ml

Salmon fishing. That's how it was supposed to go. Jesse Lange, one of our favorite Oregon winemakers and a fly-fishing fanatic, wanted us to come on a float trip with him, cooking salmon on the riverbank and drinking plenty of his full-bodied Oregon Pinot. 

The trip didn't work out, but we got something better instead: an exclusive on his 2017 Liberty Bell Pinot at just $34, a significant savings from the winery price.

Wine Access members have flipped out for Lange's Liberty Bell bottling before: The 2014 remains one of the most beloved Oregon Pinots we've ever offered, so when we had to cancel our fishing trip, Jesse sent down a few bottles of the '17—a more than worthy follow up to the '14—that we were so excited to taste.

When we popped the bottle (with some grilled Chinook salmon, of course) we realized that we had one of the best, richer-styled Pinots to come out of Oregon in our glasses, combining a Sea Smoke-esque power with the brightness and aromatics you'd expect out of top Burgundy. The dark ruby-purple wine filled the room with the aroma of juicy and ripe black cherries, violets, and hints of exotic spices. The wine continued to deliver in spades on the palate, with a silky, mouth-coating texture and a beguiling hint of mocha to go along with more of those characteristic dark-cherry flavors.

It's a testament to Wine Access members' enthusiasm that we're even able to offer this at all—the Lange family saved 70 cases specifically for us because of our historic support of their wines. We're the only source for this special bottling outside the winery, and have a significantly better price: just $34 per bottle.

Lange’s Liberty Bell Pinot hails from Freedom Hill Vineyard, one of Oregon's true Grand Cru sites. It’s been the source of great wines from a who's who of the Willamette Valley's finest winemakers, including Ken Wright, Patricia Green, Walter Scott, and St. Innocent—but few connect with the vineyard like Jesse Lange. This Pinot comes from some of the best-situated vines at the vineyard: They're perfectly southeast facing and located between 500'-600' of elevation—high enough to be in shallow soils that stress the vines, but low enough to receive prime sun exposure and warmth throughout the day.

Lange’s Pinot easily competes with the Archery Summits and Domaine Serenes of the world, yet at a price that's far below its peers. Willamette Valley legend Ken Wright's Freedom Hill bottling easily goes for $60, yet we can’t think of a bottle we’d rather have on our table than Jesse Lange’s: Its extreme power and richness are allied to a silky texture that makes the wine rapturously delicious now, though it should age effortlessly for the next decade—if you don't drink it all first.

There's a powerful reason that the Liberty Bell Pinot has been one of the best received Oregon bottlings we've ever offered. The quality-to-price ratio is off the charts even at its SRP, and especially at today’s price. Once it sells out, though, it's gone for good—so if you love rich, powerful Pinot Noir with a hint of Old World elegance, make sure you’re on this boat before it leaves the dock.