It was such a great time catching up in person a few days ago with Lingua Franca winemaker Thomas Savre.“2023 was a great vintage” said Savre. “It reminds me of 2019, I think the flavor profile and concentration as well as the pure acidity in the wine.” Lingua Franca is located in the Eola-Amity Hills which produces really hot days and cold nights. “What is very interesting is the shift of temperature because of the cold wind that comes from the ocean” said Savre. “Tonight is going to be 50, and it is almost 100 during the day. That has a huge impact in the acidity in the wines.”
Lingua Franca has long been one of the outstanding producers of Oregon wine. Founded by Larry Stone and David Honig, Lingua Franca crafts their wines from a highly acclaimed estate vineyard as well as a few choice sites in the Willamette Valley. This is one of the finest producers of Chardonnay on the West Coast and they have recently gotten their wine into the United Airlines First Class Cabin as well as the United Polaris Lounge. I think the 2023 wines have massive potential and they are also drinking beautifully now.
Check out the gorgeous 2023 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is such a steal at less than 40 bucks USD. Even better is the stunning 2023 Lingua Franca ‘Inspiras’ Chardonnay (OB, 97) which is one of the great white wines from the Pacific Northwest that I have tasted this year. Learn more about Lingua Franca at https://www.linguafranca.wine Here are the beautiful new releases by Lingua Franca.
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Chardonnay- The 2023 ‘Avni’ comes from a range of vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA as well as the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Flinty tones alongside peaches and shades of lime zest on the nose. The palate is rich and layered with serious tension and a smooth texture. Drinking beautifully right now, watch this evolve over the next eight to ten years to come. Over ten thousand cases made! Drink 2025-2033- 93
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Estate’ Chardonnay- The 2023 Lingua Franca ‘Estate’ Chardonnay comes from this location in the Eola-Amity Hills, set on Jory and Gelderman soils and planted back in 2012. West stone mark the nose alongside juicy nectarine, starfruit and shades of pineapple. The palate is super seamless with a silky mouthfeel and incredible sense of elegance and finesse. Drink 2025-2040- 96
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Bunker Hill’ Chardonnay- The 2023 ‘Bunker Hill’ comes from this site in south Salem that was planted in 1995. Serious reduction marks the nose alongside gunmetal and white florals alongside poached pear and pastry crust. The palate is dense and nervy with a waxy texture and a bright sense of minerality. Gorgeous now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2025-2040- 96
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Sisters’ Chardonnay- A barrel-selection wine, the 2023 ‘Sisters’ is named after Larry Stone’s sisters who were separated during a war. Beautiful reduction and white rose petals combine on the nose. The palate is silky and refined with serious weight and underlying finesse. Powerful citrus and lemon fruits combine with sea salt dusted French bread on the palate. Drink 2025-2040- 96
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Inspiras’ Chardonnay- The 2023 ‘Inspiras’ comes from one barrel of Bunker Hill and from their Lingua Franca Estate. This is dense, unctuous and very textural stuff with incredible weight and length. A stunning wine, offering pie crust and baking spices laced with mango and shades of white peach on the palate. This is amongst the finest you will taste on the West Coast. Drink 2025-2042- 97
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir comes from roughly 20 different sites throughout the Willamette Valley. This saw a small amount of whole cluster feermentation. Orange zest combines with salted cranberry and shades of volcanic soils on the nose. The palate is round and big on the mouth with serious texture and reminded tannins. Generous and round, enjoy this outstanding bottling over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir comes from this site set on both Jory and Gelderman soils. Crushed wet rock and tart red fruits mark the nose alongside Satsuma orange zest. The palate is lush and round on the mouth with serious texture and great stony/salty nuances. Drink 2025-2040- 95
2023 Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir is all 777 clonal selection from the top of the estate vineyard. The palate is soft and elegant with a smooth mouthfeel. Rich red fruits combine with stony essence and shades of kumquat rind on the palate. Ripe and fat on the mouth, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 95
2023 Lingua Franca ‘La Belle’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 Lingua Franca ‘La Belle’ Pinot Noir comes from the a parcel in the estate vineyard. Delicate red florals mark the nose alongside pretty strawberry and guava fruits. The palate is stony and salty with serious texture and a refined mouthfeel. Drink 2025-2040- 95
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Petit Geant’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 Lingua Franca ‘Petit Geant’ Pinot Noir is made in a bigger style. Dense red and dark fruits parade with stony accents and shades of black truffle shaving son the palate. Seriously heady with fabulous volume and salty nuances, enjoy over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 95
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Mimi’s Mind’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Mimi’s Mind’ is a stunning new edition of this wine that comes from the Lingua Franca Estate vineyard. The tension of this wine is stunning, as this has serious power and concentration, loaded with red and dark fruit flavors with gorgeous red florals. Complex and very nervy, with damp earthy accents, enjoy over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2025-2042- 96
2023 Lingua Franca ‘Novo Vino’ Pinot Noir- A stunning new edition of this wine, the 2023 ‘Novo Vino’ is a barrel selection wine coming from the Lingua Franca estate vineyard. The reduction and aromatic complexity from the whole cluster fermentation, this wine utilizes clone 943 that was stored in 50% new French oak before bottling. This is powerful, very seamless stuff that is built to age. Drink 2025-2042- 97