Lingua Franca Estate Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 2023

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.

Estate Pinot 2023 has a mixture of 10 vineyard blocks contributing from 5-14% each. This is by far the most diverse edition of
Estate Pinot Noir. It may become the most representative of our complete terroir flavour profile, which will make it interesting to
observe as it matures. The fruit was sorted in the vineyard, hand-
picked, then wild-yeast fermented in medium sized concrete and stainless-steel tanks. This 2023 Estate has less than 2% whole cluster, the least of any vintage. Punch downs are done by traditional pigeage. After fermentation, it is aged in a combination of 24% new and 76% old French oak barriques for 12 months and six in tank.

95 pts - "The bouquet rises gracefully with dried rose petals, crushed granite, clove, and cinnamon bark, layered with subtle hints of black cardamom and forest floor. As the wine opens, high-toned notes of pomegranate, raspberry coulis, and tart cherry glide across the palate, interwoven with steeped rooibos and savory bay leaf.”

International Wine Report, May 2025