Wine Specs
Vintage
2022
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Willamette Valley
Harvest Date
10/1-11, 2022
Alcohol %
13.1
2022 Lingua Franca Chers Amis Chardonnay
Wine Club Exclusive
Chers Amis is a special Wine Club offering that is produced in very limited quantities.
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
White flower and pear aromas make a ripe first impression backed up by the round entry on the palate with a green apple and fresh lemony finish. There is a slight herbaceous note that evolves in the glass, with fresh
green herbs and lemon peel, that balance the initial ripe fruit character. It has volume and intensity, but remains vibrant.
Vineyard Notes
Chers Amis this year comes from four different vineyards in three different AVAs, all sharing the same shallow volcanic soils with great vibrancy, tension and delineation. Though some are in Chehalem Mountain,
one in Yanhill-Carlton and the other two closer to Eola-Amity Hills, all have exceptional fruit for this vintage that merit the title of Chers Amis, which was confirmed more than once in blind tastings.
Production Notes
Hand-picked and whole-cluster pressed, settled for 24 hours in closed stainless-steel tanks, the wine is then barrel fermented with wild yeast in 16% new, 41% large neutral Foudre of 3,400-liters and 43% old French
600-liter puncheons from diverse coopers. The wines went through spontaneous malolactic fermentation in their cooperage and were left to age sur lie for 11 months. Finally, the wine is assembled in a closed-top
stainless-steel tank with its lees for five months prior to bottling.
Food Pairing Notes
This wine marries well with a wide range of fish dishes, such as simply poached or sautéed fish dishes with herbed butter, garlic butter, or a classic Beurre Blanc sauce or nage. Beacause of its creaminess it would work with richer shellfish dishes with sauces as well, even a sauce Nantua or Armoricain. Roast chicken with butter, thyme and lemon or a breaded veal scallopini dish with a squeeze of lemon. It also would be excellent with a variety of more powerful sashimi or sushi, such as Unagi, Anago, Shirako, Sake, Otoro, Chutoro or Maguro. Western smoked salmon or gravlax, or grilled salmon with a dill mayonnaise. Experimentation is welcome!
