Wine Specs
Vintage
2023
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Eola-Amity Hills
Harvest Date
9/14-22
Alcohol %
13.50
2023 Lingua Franca The Plow Pinot Noir
The nose of The Plow 2023 is pure Damascus rose, mineral salts, cardamom, lightness and purity. On the palate there is plum, black cherry, lemon peel, black rock, black tea, savory herbs and pure succulence making one want to taste the wine yet again. This is a thrilling, lighthearted and Mozartian vintage of The Plow. Long, savory, succulent, fresh yet richly brocaded texture and great length.
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
The fruit for The Plow 2023 comes 2/3 the finest of our blocks, Block 1 and 2, as well as from the same material on block 3 (33%) with a special massal selection of PN777 on Gelderman-Jory soils, with a layer of large gravels that impart extra energy to the vines and create more complex flavors. Wines grown here are the most balanced and intriguing of our estate, with floral notes, minerality, freshness, round tannins, and length. There was no need to add even small portions from other blocks to complete the cuvée.
Production Notes
The fruit is hand-picked and sorted in the vineyard, then sorted again on the crush pad. Only whole berries are selected for the fermenters. Whole cluster fruit is 14% of the 2023 cuvée. Fermentation proceeds with wild yeasts, with the juice going half in concrete tanks and half in stainless-steel. Cap management begins with gentle pump overs, followed by traditional pigeage by foot, as needed. After wild-yeast primary fermentation and spontaneous malolactic fermentation, the wines aged in 22% new and 78% neutral French oak barriques for 12 months followed by an additional 5 months in stainless steel tank to bring the cuvée together prior to bottling.
Winemaker Notes
The growing season in 2023 started off with a pattern that had prevailed for the previous two years with a cold wet spring, though never with any frost or other extreme event. The cool spring weather led into a beautifully warm second week of May with temperatures in the mid 80s in the Eola-Amity Hills that promoted shoot growth. This set up for a good flowering in June. There were no real extremes of heat this summer but with overall very helpful warm to an occasional hot day throughout the season. Picking began mid- September in good weather and each block could be picked at exactly the right time.
Food Pairing Notes
This Plow is a wonderful partner with rib-eye, New York and sirloin steaks, with lamb shoulder, leg of lamb, lamb loin, elk tenderloin, roasted duck, grilled duck breast, savory preparations of goose and duck liver, porchetta, sautéed or grilled pork tenderloin, wood-grilled meats and Franklin, Pecan Lodge or Smitty’s BBQ brisket or ribs (if you happen to be in Texas). Also with Peking duck, shaking beef, mushroom rich broths, and vegetable dishes. Porcini risotto is a vegetarian favorite with this wine.
