2021 Beckstoffer zum Kalon Vineyard RBS

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. The cool spring weather led into a beautifully warm second week of May with temperatures in the mid 80s that promoted shoot growth to set up for a good flowering in June. Though we had the occasional hot day we didn’t experience the extreme heat spikes we’d seen in previous
summers. Picking began at the end of September in ideal conditions. These promise to be among our most successful
wines ever.

Lingua Franca Estate Chardonnay is sourced entirely from the original blocks planted by Larry Stone in 2012, which yielded balanced, yet full flavored fruit and maturity in 2023.

96 pts - “The 2023 Lingua Franca Estate Chardonnay comes from this location in the Eola-Amity Hills, set on Jory and Gelderman soils and planted back in 2012. Wet stone mark the nose alongside juicy nectarine, starfruit, and shades of pineapple. The palate is super seamless with a silky mouthfeel and incredible sense of elegance and finesse. Drink 2025-2040.”

Owen Bargreen, September 2025

The fruit field sorted, hand-picked, then 80% whole cluster pressed, 20% crushed and pressed, then settled in tank for 24 hours on average, barrel fermented with wild yeast in a combination of 27% new, lightly toasted 500-liter puncheons, and 73% old French oak puncheons and barriques from diverse coopers. Full malolactic fermentation completed spontaneously in each barrel. After 11 months aging on lees, the wines were combined in tank with their lees for five months prior to bottling.