One of the standout producers of Oregon Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Lingua Franca was founded by Larry Stone and David Honig. Earlier this year the winery was sold to Constellation Brands and this will be an exciting development for the future. At the helm is Thomas Savre who is one of the state’s finest winemakers. As this winery expands it will be very interesting to see how these wines develop. Savre crafts very age worthy wines that show good richness and tension. I’ve had the chance to taste some older wines and have been really impressed with their aging potential.
The new wines come from the warm 2021 vintage which was a welcome change across the valley after 2020. Last year Savre made some incredible wines from that smoke-filled vintage that were arguably the wines of the vintage. This edition of wines he has hit another total home run. HIs 2021s show good depth, concentration and flavor density with fantastic underlying finesse. They are already beautifully evolved wines.
Check out the gorgeous 2021 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which shows incredible concentration and flavor complexity. This is far from your typical entry level Oregon Chardonnay. Even better is the thrilling 2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 96) which rivals the finest Chardonnays in this region. Massively complex, stony and heady, with great finesse, this is one for any serious collector of Oregon wines. Learn more about Lingua Franca at https://www.linguafranca.wine Here are the beautiful new releases by Lingua Franca.
2021 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Avni’ is an outstanding entry level Chardonnay by Lingua Franca. Sourced from a range of sites including the Lingua Franca Estate, Bunker Hill, LSV and sites in the Chehalem Mountains and Yamhill-Carlton, this beautiful wine was was aged in combination of 21% new, 600-liter puncheons and mainly in old French oak barriques (63%) before for eleven months before bottling. This is lifted and wonderfully stony on the nose with white grapefruit zest, chamomile tea, nectarine zest and shades of Gravenstein apple. Nicely textured, the flinty tones shine through on the palate, with fantastic underlying finesse and plenty of lip-smacking acidity. This is a marvelous accomplishment in this warm vintage as each sip makes this more impossible to resist. Enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2023-2031- 94
2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Chardonnay- Rich and very polished, the 2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Chardonnay is a totally stunning wine that is already nicely evolved. Coming from this site in the Eola-Amity Hills this beauty was stored in 21% new, lightly toasted 500-liter puncheons and barriques, as well as 79% old French oak puncheons and barriques from a range of coopers. Crushed wet rock, pink grapefruit blossom, lemon zest and shades of pastry crust all meld on the nose with Japanese pear notes. The plate is rich and plush with a silky texture and glorious sense of length. Wiat for the minute-long finish. This beauty will go for another two decades. Drink 2023-2039- 96
2021 Lingua Franca ‘Bunker Hill’ Chardonnay- Always one of the unique Chardonnays made in the Willamette Valley, the 2021 ‘Bunker Hill’ comes from this super unique place that was planted all the way back in 1995. The nose displays the classic wet stone and volcanic ash notes that comes form this special location. Meyer lemon oil and starfruit aromatics combine with suggestions of mango, toasted hazelnut and a light dusting of white pepper. The complex aromatics go on and on. Despite the warmth of the vintage, the wine displays a dazzling verve as this deftly glides throughout the drinking experience. Like the ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ this shows remarkable length as well as flavor density. Quite simply a joy to drink, this will live on for another twenty years — if you can wait! Drink 2023-2043- 96
2021 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir comes from several vineyards in the Willamette Valley that showcases stony soil sites. This edition is very juicy and rich with a smooth texture and good underlying finesse. Ripe red currants parade with Mandarin orange zest, salty soils and shades of red licorice. Complex and delicious, this beauty is absolutely singing right now. Drink 2023-2033- 93
2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir- Deeply perfumed and showing off its rich hue in the glass, the 2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir is a total knockout wine from this hotter vintage. The nose is filled with beautiful black florals with shades of black truffle, gunpowder, flint and kumquat rind notes that all take shape in the glass. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture. This shows good elegance but also a great concentration of red and dark fruit flavors, with stony and herbal accents. Considering the stuffing and underlying finesse I can see this easily being a 20 year wine. Drink 2023-2043- 95
2021 Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir- A big wine from a warm vintage, the 2021 Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir does not stand translucent in its glass. The beguiling nose offers serious range from pretty orange rose petals to wet stone, cigar box, garrigue and suggestions of wild blackberry. The palate is soft and seamless, as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Generous and rich, with good nerve, this beautiful wine will have another twenty years in front of it. Drink 2023-2043- 95