Lingua Franca

Co-founded by America’s ninth Master Sommelier Larry Stone, David Honig, and Dominique Lafon in 2015, the term Lingua Franca means “common tongue” — rich in meaning and symbolism, it speaks to a deep need for transparency in winemaking and in the vineyard, where the purity and authenticity of Willamette Valley’s unique terroir is the only vernacular that shines through each bottling.

“When I first saw the farm that was to become Lingua Franca Estate, it dawned on me that it could be one of the finest places in Oregon to grow Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The shallow, rocky Nekia and Jory soils, the gentle breezes that cool us in the morning, the Van Duzer winds that blow in the afternoons from the west, softened by the hill behind us, and the eastern exposure with its long days and filtered morning sunlight all contribute to the expression of flavor and structure of our terroir.” — Larry Stone

LSV estate vineyard is a 66-acre parcel that borders some of the most highly esteemed sites in the Eola-Amity Hills sub-appellation including Seven Springs and Cristom’s estate plantings. Stone purchased the land in 2012 and planted a combination of 18 different Dijon clones and heritage clones and rootstock, sourced from specific vineyards—85% of the plantings are Pinot Noir and 15% are Chardonnay.

Construction was finished on a sleek, state of the art winemaking facility in 2016, and not long after, the team hired Thomas Savre, a brilliant young winemaker with an impressive Burgundian pedigree. Savre worked at prestigious estates in Burgundy including Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Domaine de Bellene, and Domaine Dujac before landing at Evening Land under the tutelage of Dominique Lafon. His work, in combination with the insight and acumen of Lingua Franca’s founders have garnered serious accolades, including an impressive 94-Points on their 2015 Mimi’s Mind Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir from the Wine Spectator,  “Lissome and polished, with expressive violet and blueberry aromas and precise but richly complex flavors of plum, mineral and spices cinnamon,” in addition to high praise from Jancis Robinson for the 2015 AVNI Pinot Noir, “Outstanding. A pure, emphatic, appetizing expression of terroir without surplus sweetness.”