Lingua Franca

Larry Stone became the ninth American Master Sommelier in 1988. Stone subsequently built one of the most distinguished sommelier careers in American history: wine director at Charlie Trotter's in Chicago through the late 1980s, then at Rubicon in San Francisco (Robert De Niro's restaurant) through the 1990s-2000s. Stone's wine program at Rubicon was widely regarded as one of America's best, with depth across Burgundy, Bordeaux, and emerging regions. Stone's transition to wine production began with consulting roles at Pacific Northwest wineries through the 2000s. Stone purchased the Eola-Amity Hills site in 2012 and co-founded Lingua Franca in 2015 (its first vintage), representing his full commitment to wine production. The choice of Willamette Valley (rather than California or Burgundy) reflected Stone's view that Oregon Pinot Noir offered the most opportunity for credentialed American winemakers seeking to apply Burgundian sensibility to American terroir. The Eola-Amity Hills location was chosen specifically for its Van Duzer Corridor cool-climate Pinot Noir potential. In 2022 the winery was acquired by Constellation Brands, joining its Aspira fine-wine portfolio; Stone cited the impact of COVID-19 and the 2020 Oregon wildfires in the decision to sell, staying on as brand ambassador while Thomas Savre and consulting winemaker Dominique Lafon continued the winemaking. The estate name "lingua franca" (Italian for a common language used between speakers of different native languages) reflects Stone's cross-cultural vision: the wines represent a bridge language between American terroir, Burgundian winemaking (via Dominique Lafon consulting), and the international sommelier conversation that Stone has shaped through 40 years. The name is also a quiet acknowledgment of Stone's status as a translator between wine regions and consumer audiences in his sommelier work.

• Larry Stone ninth American Master Sommelier 1988; wine director at Charlie Trotter's (Chicago, late 1980s) and Rubicon (San Francisco, 1990s-2000s)
• Transition to wine production: consulting roles 2000s at Pacific Northwest wineries; purchased Eola-Amity site 2012, co-founded Lingua Franca 2015 (first vintage)
• Willamette Valley choice rather than California or Burgundy: Stone's view that Oregon Pinot Noir offered most opportunity for credentialed American winemakers applying Burgundian sensibility to American terroir
• Estate name "lingua franca" (bridge language between speakers of different native languages): cross-cultural vision linking American terroir + Burgundian winemaking + international sommelier conversation

Dominique Lafon serves as consulting winemaker for Lingua Franca, providing direct Burgundian Côte de Beaune winemaking expertise. Lafon is the proprietor of Domaine des Comtes Lafon in Meursault, Burgundy, since 1987 when he took over from his father René Lafon. The Lafon estate is one of Burgundy's most influential Chardonnay producers, particularly recognized for Meursault Premier Cru bottlings (Charmes, Genevrières, Perrières, Goutte d'Or, and the small Le Montrachet Grand Cru parcel). Lafon was an early adopter of biodynamic farming in Burgundy (Demeter certified) and has been a leading voice in Burgundian Chardonnay's contemporary direction. Lafon's consulting at Lingua Franca brings his Meursault winemaking sensibility directly to Eola-Amity Hills. The Lingua Franca Chardonnay program (Avni Chardonnay, Estate Chardonnay, single-vineyard expressions) sits explicitly in Côte de Beaune Meursault-Puligny stylistic territory: Dijon-clone plantings, French oak from coopers used at Domaine des Comtes Lafon, full malolactic fermentation, and extended barrel aging. The wines are made with the structural-restraint approach that distinguishes Burgundy from New World Chardonnay programs. The Lingua Franca Pinot Noir program also receives Lafon's consulting input though to a lesser extent (Lafon's primary expertise is Chardonnay). The Pinot Noir style emphasizes whole-cluster fermentation, French oak from Burgundy coopers, restrained extraction, and structural concentration. The combination of Burgundian consulting input + Master Sommelier brand leadership + business management produces wines that read as deliberately cross-cultural: Oregon terroir expressed through Burgundian winemaking with American business sophistication.

• Dominique Lafon: proprietor of Domaine des Comtes Lafon (Meursault, Burgundy) since 1987; one of Burgundy's most influential Chardonnay winemakers; Meursault Premier Cru program + small Le Montrachet Grand Cru parcel + early biodynamic Demeter certification
• Lafon consulting role at Lingua Franca: direct Côte de Beaune winemaking expertise; particularly applied to Lingua Franca Chardonnay program (Avni, Estate, single-vineyard)
• Lingua Franca Chardonnay style: explicit Meursault-Puligny stylistic territory; Dijon-clone plantings, French oak from Domaine des Comtes Lafon coopers, full malolactic, extended barrel aging
• Pinot Noir program: whole-cluster fermentation, French oak from Burgundy coopers, restrained extraction, structural concentration; Lafon consulting input though primary expertise is Chardonnay

Lingua Franca's roughly 150-acre property occupies a south-facing Eola-Amity Hills site south of Salem, Oregon, with 66 acres planted to vine. The estate sits within the Eola-Amity Hills AVA (designated 2006) and benefits from the Van Duzer Corridor wind cooling that defines the sub-AVA's mesoclimate. Vineyard elevations range from 400 to 850 feet across the property's hills. Soils across the property combine Nekia volcanic clay (Jory-equivalent, weathered from Columbia River Basalt Group lava flows) on higher elevations and east-facing slopes with Willakenzie marine sedimentary uplift on lower and western slopes. The mixed-soil composition is typical of Eola-Amity Hills sites (similar to Cristom Vineyards' soil mix); the variation supports the producer-driven vineyard architecture that Lingua Franca employs. Planting began in 2012-2013 with continued expansion through the 2010s. The variety mix is heavily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with small experimental plantings of other cool-climate varieties. Pinot Noir plantings include Dijon clones (113, 114, 115, 667, 777, 828) and older Pommard clone for blending complexity. Chardonnay is exclusively Dijon-clone (76, 95, 96) reflecting the Burgundian Côte de Beaune Meursault stylistic intent. Farming has progressed toward organic and biodynamic practice over the 2010s-2020s without yet achieving full certification. The estate uses cover cropping, integrated pest management, minimum-intervention canopy management, and on-site composting. The Burgundian winemaking sensibility (whole-cluster fermentation, minimum-intervention cellaring) is consistent with the trend toward organic and biodynamic farming.

• Roughly 150-acre south-facing Eola-Amity Hills property south of Salem, OR (66 acres under vine); vineyard elevations 400-850 feet; within Eola-Amity Hills AVA (designated 2006)
• Soils: mixed Nekia volcanic clay (Jory-equivalent, CRBG basalt weathering) on higher elevations + Willakenzie marine sedimentary on lower slopes (typical Eola-Amity mixed-soil composition)
• Planting began 2012-2013 with continued expansion through 2010s; variety mix heavily Pinot Noir (Dijon clones + Pommard for blending) + Chardonnay (exclusively Dijon-clone for Côte de Beaune Meursault register)
• Farming: progressing toward organic and biodynamic practice (cover cropping, integrated pest management, minimum-intervention canopy, on-site composting) without yet achieving full certification

Lingua Franca's wine portfolio operates with two tiers: the Avni line (broader-distribution entry-level wines) and the Estate + single-vineyard line (allocation-focused premium wines). Avni Pinot Noir and Avni Chardonnay anchor the entry tier; Estate Pinot Noir, Estate Chardonnay, and rotating single-vineyard bottlings anchor the premium tier. Avni Chardonnay is the most-distributed Lingua Franca wine; it serves as the brand's introduction to consumers and the basis for restaurant by-the-glass programs. The wine sits in accessible Côte de Beaune-style Chardonnay territory with green apple, lemon pith, white peach, hazelnut, and a moderate-oak finish; retail $35-45. Avni Pinot Noir similarly sits in accessible Willamette Pinot Noir territory; retail $35-45. The Avni line's distribution supports the brand's commercial scale. Estate Pinot Noir and Estate Chardonnay are the premium tier focused on the home Eola-Amity property's best fruit. These wines emphasize structural concentration, Burgundian-trained whole-cluster fermentation (for Pinot Noir), full malolactic and extended barrel aging (for Chardonnay), and aging potential. Single-vineyard expressions extend the program with named-block bottlings; the wines retail $65-100+ depending on the vintage and bottling. Lingua Franca occupies a distinct position within the Willamette's Burgundian-trained cohort alongside Bergström, Walter Scott Wines, and Evening Land Vineyards. Where Bergström anchors the family-firm Burgundy-trained model (Josh Bergström's Lycée Viticole de Beaune training), Walter Scott anchors the husband-wife-and-Burgundian-consulting model (Ken Pahlow + Erica Landon + Burgundian winemakers), and Evening Land anchors the larger-scale Burgundian-trained model (Mark Tarlov + Dominique Lafon + Sashi Moorman + Rajat Parr historically), Lingua Franca anchors the sommelier-credentialed Master Sommelier + Burgundian consulting model. The cohort produces some of the Willamette's most internationally compared wines, with their Chardonnays particularly placing in international tastings against Premier Cru Burgundy.

• Two-tier portfolio: Avni line (broader-distribution entry-level) and Estate + single-vineyard line (allocation-focused premium)
• Avni Chardonnay: most-distributed Lingua Franca wine, restaurant by-the-glass support; Côte de Beaune-style with green apple/lemon/white peach/hazelnut and moderate oak; retail $35-45
• Estate + single-vineyard premium tier: structural concentration, Burgundian-trained whole-cluster (Pinot Noir), full malolactic + extended barrel aging (Chardonnay); $65-100+ retail
• Distinct position in Willamette Burgundian-trained cohort: sommelier-credentialed Master Sommelier + Burgundian consulting model alongside Bergström, Walter Scott Wines, Evening Land