Lingua Franca, Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2017

Overview of the Wine
Lingua Franca is the exploration of Oregon with an open mind, focused on picking fruit optimally for freshness, tension and complexity—based on the varying conditions of the season and the terroir of individual vineyard blocks which are farmed by organic and regenerative farming principals. The land, the way it’s farmed and the quality of the light on east-facing slopes in the Willamette Valley are what shape the wines.

Grape / Blend
Pinot Noir

Origin
Willamette Valley, Oregon

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Sourced from our best-performing blocks of estate-grown Pinot Noir, the Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir begins with a heady scent of roses and red fruits. On the palate, the wine is quite dense and rich, powerful in expression, with a perfect balance of red and black fruits, dark plum, pomegranate and raspberry, then the nuances of wet stone, savory herbs come through in the lifted lingering finish and velvety texture.

Lingua Franca Estate is a vineyard site that has been coveted for decades and finally planted by Larry Stone. It is beautifully located in the heart of the Eola-Amity Hills, dry farmed organically on Jory, Gelderman and Nekia soils.

93 Points - Wine Spectator
A wine with presence and a tight but refined core of bright acidity and tannins, framed by expressive rose petal, raspberry and river stone accents. Best from 2020 through 2027.

92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
A delicious mix of blueberry and cherry fruit, ripe and firm, this estate-grown wine nicely reflects the AVA with a dusting of dried herbs. Those savory notes are perfectly integrated. The wine was finished in 25% new French barriques. 

92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir Estate is scented of blueberries, marionberries and blackberries with accents of mossy bark, forest floor and violets. Medium-bodied, it offers intense, ripe, floral-tinged fruits with a pleasantly chalky frame and great freshness, finishing long and flavorful.

Product size: 750ml