2023 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 750 ml

Eric Lemelson and his team nailed 2023, and it shows in their Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. You can smell and taste the quality in this wine’s bright red fruit, mouthwatering acidity, and silky tannins. Bottlings like this are why Wine Enthusiast, in an article titled “America’s Best Pinot Noirs,” named Lemelson an “elite” producer, placing it alongside the likes of Archery Summit and Domaine Serene.

All of Eric Lemelson’s technical winemaking savvy and organic-farming skills, along with the strength of the vintage, are brought to bear in this wine, which drinks a hell of a lot like some of its neighbors’ $50+ bottles. Harvested from estate vines in Dundee Hills, Chehalem Mountains, and Yamhill-Carlton, this superb Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is the perfect introduction to the 2023 vintage.

Since we discovered Lemelson Vineyards years ago, this Willamette Valley star has steadfastly maintained a commitment to quality and value. And like the Cuvée X that preceded it—a white-hot sell-out each time we offered it—their 2023 Pinot Noir is a special blend that comes from a selection of individual barrels and bottled earlier, a decision that preserves mouthwatering vibrancy and pristine red fruit. 

While many producers have opted for a quick buck by riding the wave of soaring Pinot Noir prices, Lemelson has played the long game. They’ve been content to keep price tags modest, and the winery’s bottles fly off the shelves year after year.