Winemaker Notes
An unusually warm spring kicked off another record early grape harvest for 2016. Unlike 2015, which was equally early, 2016 had a much more moderate Summer with fewer heat spikes than either 2014 or 2015. A small heat spike during bloom lead to a smaller fruit set with smaller berries. A slightly warmer than usual August shepherded the modest crop loads to full ripeness in record time. As a result, the 2016 wines show stunning concentration and balance when compared to other warm vintages with similarly pristine, ripe fruit. 2016 marks the 3rd consecutive stellar vintage in the Northern Willamette.
Organically Farmed
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Dark cherries and toasted spices make for a captivating nose with plenty of immediate interest. The deeply rich dark-cherries on the palate are cast along fluid, long and sturdy tannin lines. Strong finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
This entry-level blend bangs a home run in this vintage. From its lush, lightly musky nose to its rich pie-worthy mix of blueberries, blackberries and cherries, this is simply irresistible. Well-woven Asian spices and light seams of chocolate, coffee and black tea all combine in a thoroughly satisfying, beautifully integrated wine with another half decade of life ahead. Editors’ Choice.
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Wine Spectator
Vibrant and generous, with expressive raspberry, orange zest and tarragon flavors that take on complexity toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2026.
Lemelson Vineyards began as a dream to create a winery grounded in nature, inspired by tradition in winemaking, and driven by innovation in technology. From the beginning, organic farming was at the core of that vision. Through organic viticulture and gravity-flow production, Lemelson crafts estate-grown Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Riesling that honor Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
Founder Eric Lemelson planted his first organically farmed vineyard in Yamhill County in 1995. Realizing that he loved the work involved in growing wine grapes, two years later he planted an additional 30 acres of Pinot noir and began planning the construction of a gravity-flow winery. Sustainability and organic practices were guiding principles from the start, both in the vineyards and in the winery, which was ultimately constructed using recycled and renewable materials. The intention was building something that would not only serve consumers but also the longevity of their pristine home state of Oregon.
Their commitment to organic farming and sustainability extends to all facets of winery life and ensures that all living components, be they land, vine, or human, are well cared for. It’s their belief that the glass you’re enjoying at home starts before vines were ever planted. The process from planting to drinking must be nurtured at all steps.
When you drink Lemelson wine, you are not only drinking an elegant, expressive Willamette Valley wine, you’re taking part in their journey to protect the earth for generations to come, and they thank you for that.
Home of some of the planet’s most amazingly elegant and expressive Pinot noir, the Willamette Valley is a pastoral, mixed landscape of green, bucolic rolling hills, dramatic forestlands and small, independent, friendly wine growers. As a leader in environmental stewardship, the valley has some of the nation’s most protective land use policies, with two-thirds of its vineyards farmed sustainably and over half, organically. While the valley claims a cool, continental climate, and is heavily influenced by the cold, moist winds of the Pacific Ocean, its warm and dry summers allow for the steady, even ripening of Pinot noir.
The potential of Willamette Valley Pinot noir continues to attract the investment of serious growers and winemakers both locally and from abroad, as naturally the finished wines bring accolades from professionals and enthusiasts. With a range of styles from delicate dried cherry, raspberry and hibiscus to stronger notes of truffle, mocha, plum and spice, a fine Willamette Valley Pinot noir is a perfect expression of both character and grace.