Talk about starting a winery with a boom. The first time I tried Lingua Franca wines I remember that it was a warm day, plus 90 degrees, in the Willamette Valley. Probably the worst thing to reach for was Pinot Noir but I cracked one of their ‘Avni’ Pinot Noirs and was simply amazed! The last time I saw Lingua Franca founder Larry Stone MS was at the last Wine Spectator event in New York. That was October 2019. The last time I saw Lingua franca winemaker Thomas Savre was at my favorite Champagne bar in Portland. That was December 2019. It has been a while.
Each bottle was shipped from the winery, ensuring the best provenance. Thomas and I had talked about doing a vertical tasting together, but due to Covid, this was the best option. Over the course of several hours I sat with these wines and was truly blown away with the youthfulness and overall quality and terroir of each warm vintage wine. These were all sourced from the esteemed ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Vineyard, which is intriguingly set on Jory and Nekkia soils, which in many cases leads to a stony, volcanic profile in the red and white wines.
2016 was a very warm vintage, as was 2018, while 2017 was slightly cooler but still warm to Oregon standards. 2018 saw the most severe heat spikes despite having a cooler fall which led to wines achieving beautiful freshness and finesse. The 2018 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) just ever so slightly eclipsed the other two bottlings in terms of depth, concentration, range and overall finesse. The plush and rather luxurious texture really added to the enjoyment. For those who have never tired the beautiful wines of Lingua Franca, I highly recommend that you do check out these highly collectible Oregon Pinot Noirs. And for more info go to lingua franca.com. Here are my notes from my incredible Lingua Franca Pinot Noir vertical tasting.
2016 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2016 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir is a silky, rich effort from this warm vintage that is already shining very brightly. This was the first vintage of our Estate Pinot Noir sourced from a barrel selection of Pinot Noir from their 66-acre ‘LS Vineyard.’ Aged for twelve months in only 25% new French oak before bottling, this shows off gorgeous red rose petals and exotic spices alongside peat moss and smoldering rocks with a good core of pretty red fruits on the nose. The palate is seamless, round and generous with a great sense of mouthfeel an tension. Rich red currants and Yakima cherry tones mingle with minerals, wet stone and cran-orange flavors. While great now, this has a really long life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2036- 94
2017 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir- Outstanding now at the four year mark, the 2017 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir is sourced from this unique site set on Jory and Nekia soils. Citrus rind, guava and shades of damp earth all fill the nose. The palate its fresh and vibrant with a light dusting of salinity that runs through the core of bright red fruits, alongside kumquat, tilled earth and shades of wild mushroom. The juicy core of red fruits seems to be shining the most brightly and while primary, the secondary notes are really evolving nicely here. While a touch less dense than the ’16, the finesse suggests a really long life. I would anticipate another fifteen years with this beautiful, elegant Pinot Noir. Drink 2021-2036- 94
2018 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir- I adore the depth and concentration of the 2018 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir. Red and dark florals dawn the nose, with volcanic earth, peat moss and a great wall of red and dark fruits all greet you aromatically. The palate is deep, luxurious and beautifully textured. Rich huckleberry and black raspberry flavors mingle with forest floor, stony minerals and blood orange zest, with hints of charcuterie. The salty and savory edge here is really good. Gorgeous even at the three year mark, this will be a twenty year wine. Drink 2021-2028- 95