94 pts | Wine & Spirits "This is a blend from multiple parcels at Larry Stone's estate vineyard. Like Lingua Franca's other 2019s, it took its time evolving, this one showing earth, oak and turned soil when first poured, revealing many nuances over five days tasted, its earthy black cherry flavors set in a stalwart tannic structure that opened in subtle increments each day. Built to cellar." —P.J.C
95 pts | Vinous "Glistening ruby-red. Intensely perfumed aromas of fresh red and blue fruits, candied flowers, Asian spices and mocha; suggestions of vanilla and nori build as the wine opens up. Deeply concentrated but lively as well, offering juicy, mineral-laced black raspberry, cherry cola, boysenberry, candied rose and spicecake flavors that show superb clarity and back-end lift. Closes impressively long and precise, with polished, even tannins and resonating floral and spice notes." - Josh Raynolds
94 pts | OwenBargreen.com "For many years the ‘Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard’ has been one of the hallowed sites in the Eola-Amity Hills. With Pinot Noir vines set on volcanic soils, this shows off a nice dusting of white pepper and volcanic earth on the nose with bright red fruits and red floral tones rounding out this expressive bouquet. The palate has incredible finesse with good richness and a long finish. Truly outstanding now, this will provide drinking enjoyment over the next fifteen years." - Dr. Owen Bargreen
91pts | Wine Enthusiast
Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir is sourced from several parcels throughout the Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard in Willamette Valley's Eola-Amity Hills. The elegant and nuanced 777 Pinot Noir grown on Gelderman-Jory soils creates the top notes of mineral, floral and savory elements while the 115 provides the fruit, body and weight of the wine. Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir begins with a heady scent of roses, violets and raspberries and blackberries. On the palate, the wine is round and rich, with a silky texture and lingering flavors. The elegance of the wine is aided both by the cooler weather at harvest and by using less whole cluster than usual for this cuvée. 2019 is also the first vintage of Estate Pinot Noir that has no Pommard clone addition.
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
The elegant and nuanced 777 Pinot Noir grown on Gelderman-Jory soils creates the top notes of mineral, floral and savory elements while the 115 provides the fruit, body and weight of the wine. The 2019 Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir begins with a heady scent of roses, violets, raspberries and blackberries. On the palate, the wine is round and rich, with a silky texture and lingering flavors. The elegance of the wine is aided both by the cooler weather at harvest and our use of less whole cluster than usual for this cuvée.
Vineyard Notes
Our Estate Vineyard was recovering from drought, so harvest brought in low yields, but fruit of excellent quality and intensity. Harvest proceeded with cooler temperatures with the fruit in perfect balance. The 2019 Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir combines equal parts of PN77 from the prized Gelderman soils and PN115 from a well-placed site at the top of the lower block, on Nekia soils, creating a dense but elegant wine with the flavor intensity of the reduced yield. 2019 is also the first vintage of Estate Pinot Noir that has no Block 23 Pommard clone addition.
Production Notes
The fruit was sorted in the vineyard, hand-picked, then fermented with wild yeast in medium sized concrete and stainless-steel tanks. 5% of the fruit was whole cluster and the rest destemmed, with only whole berries selected for the final wine. The 2019 Estate Pinot Noir displays the layered, complex flavors of the 2019 vintage. After fermentation, the wine was aged in a combination of 21% new and 79% old French oak barriques for 12 months and four in tank, prior to bottling.
Food Pairing Notes
This vintage of Estate Pinot Noir is perfect with dry Italian or French sausage, porcini risotto, roast chicken with morel or porcini mushrooms, grilled quail, rabbit fricassee, grilled lamb loin, braised lamb with Tarbais bean and pistou, or simply an artisanal pizza margherita or ai funghi.
