2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir (750ml)

Pinot Noir from Willamette, Oregon

B-21 Top Recommendation
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“Gorgeous and formidable”

Eric Guido, Vinous

Crafted under “one of Burgundy's most respected and forward-thinking vintners” according to the Wine Spectator’s Bruce Sanderson, the elegant 94 pt. 2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir offers richly aromatic wild berry fruit with earthy undertones on a long, silky mineral finish, displaying “the power and complexity possible to obtain in Oregon” according to Eric Guido of Vinous from a top Burgundy winemaker and an outstanding value for fans of classically styled Oregon Pinot.

Renowned for crafting top scoring Burgundy for his family’s Cote de Beaune estate, master winemaker Dominique Lafon worked as a consultant to Oregon’s Evening Land Vineyards before collaborating with former sommelier and Evening Land general manager Larry Stone to co-found Lingua Franca in the Willamette Valley’s Eola-Amity Hills 2015, his expertise at crafting exceptional Burgundy credited with driving Evening Land’s rising reputation early on. Purchasing the 140-acre Janzen Farm, a prime parcel situated next to Evening Land’s Seven Springs site and adjacent to Domaine Serene’s Jerusalem Hill Vineyard, Stone and consulting winemaker Lafon worked with renowned Willamette viticulturist Mimi Casteel to determine the precise mix of clones planted based on the site’s varied soils, utilizing organic and biodynamic viticulture throughout the estate’s 66 acre vineyard and hiring Evening Land’s former assistant winemaker and Lafon protege Thomas Savre to craft its vineyard-driven wines. Boasting experience at legendary Burgundy estates including Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Domaine Dujac, and Maison Nicolas Potel, winemaker Savre employs a transparent, minimal intervention approach in the cellar, aging the 2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir in a combination of new and mostly used French oak barriques for 12 months with 4 months longer in tank before bottling and yielding fresh, vibrant fruit with beautiful richness and lively acidity, adding to the estate’s “string of fantastic vintages” according to Vinous critic Eric Guido

Sourced from “a five-star vintage for the Willamette Valley” according to Decanter’s Clive Pursehouse, the impressive 94 pt. 2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir offers the appealing lush fruit flavors and layered complexity of classically styled California Pinots and red Burgundy wines at a fraction of the price, “a textbook example of the wines of the Willamette Valley” according to Jeb Dunnuck’s Audrey Frick delivering terrific value for Oregon Pinot fans to enjoy over the next decade.

94WS

94JD

Elegant yet dynamic, this multilayered red reveals detailed cherry and red plum flavors that are laced with savory forest floor and mineral flavors, which build intensity toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2031.

94 points, Tim Fish, Wine Spectator (Nov 2023)

A ripe ruby hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir Avni has a pure and pristine character, with aromas of red cherry lozenge, fresh wild herbs, and red floral perfume. Medium-bodied and charming, with an elegant structure and gorgeous fresh fruit, it’s delicious out of the gate. Offering ripe tannins and a graceful feel, it’s all about purity and freshness with this wine. A terrific value, it could be a great lens into the style of this estate and is a textbook example of the wines of the Willamette Valley. Drink 2023-2030.

94 points, Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck (Sep 2023)

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$29.98

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