Bringing Home the Pinot Cup: Marchelle Takes Top Honors at Charlie Palmer’s Pigs & Pinot
Some moments in wine happen so quickly that they don’t feel real until long after the applause has faded.
For us, that moment came at Charlie Palmer’s prestigious Pigs & Pinot in Healdsburg, when our 2022 Harmony Lane Estate Pinot Noir was awarded the Pinot Cup—the event’s highest honor recognizing the top Pinot Noir of the weekend.
As our winemaker Evan Damiano later recalled, “Wait a minute—I think we’ve won something.“
It was a reaction of genuine surprise. We were surrounded by many of the most respected Pinot Noir producers in California and Oregon, wineries that have spent decades building world-class reputations. To hear Marchelle announced as the winner was both humbling and unforgettable.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat, which covered the event live, captured that emotion perfectly—describing the stunned reaction of our team as the realization slowly sank in that the top prize belonged to Marchelle.
A Vineyard That Means Everything to Us
The winning wine is our 2022 Harmony Lane Estate Pinot Noir, sourced entirely from our tiny three-acre estate vineyard in the Green Valley of Russian River Valley.
Harmony Lane is more than just another vineyard in our portfolio. It is our home vineyard—a place where cool Pacific fog, Goldridge soils, and meticulous farming come together to produce Pinot Noir of remarkable elegance and energy.
Every vintage is farmed with extraordinary care, allowing the vineyard to speak for itself. Greg La Follette and Evan Damiano have always believed that great Pinot Noir begins in the vineyard, and Harmony Lane continues to prove that philosophy.
Validation of a Vision
From the day Marchelle was founded, our mission has been simple: seek out extraordinary vineyards, honor the growers who farm them, and make wines that express place rather than winemaking.
Winning the Pinot Cup isn’t simply another medal or score. It represents recognition from one of the wine industry’s most respected Pinot Noir events—a celebration dedicated entirely to the world’s most expressive grape variety.
For a young winery like Marchelle, this recognition affirms that our commitment to thoughtful farming, minimal intervention, and patience in the cellar is producing wines that stand alongside some of the very best.
Just harvested Pinot noir from Harmony Lane Vineyard in the Russian River Valley
A Win Shared with Our Community
No winery succeeds alone. This award belongs just as much to Greg La Follette, whose decades of Pinot Noir experience continue to inspire every vintage, and to Evan Damiano, whose talent and dedication helped bring this wine to life. It belongs to everyone who has worked in Harmony Lane Vineyard through rain, fog, and harvest mornings. It belongs to our growers, our club members, our supporters, and everyone who believed in Marchelle from the beginning.
Most importantly, it belongs to everyone who has opened a bottle of Harmony Lane and shared it around their own table.
Looking Ahead
As we welcome guests into our new tasting room in downtown Healdsburg, we’re proud to pour our wine that earned this incredible honor. Every glass tells the story of Harmony Lane—our estate vineyard, our philosophy, and the people who make Marchelle possible.
To everyone who has supported us on this journey, thank you.
Here’s to many more vintages, many more shared bottles, and to the vineyard that brought home the Pinot Cup.
Cheers,
The Marchelle Wines Team