# Avni Pinot Noir (2022)

- **Producer:** Lingua Franca
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Pinot Noir
- **Region:** Oregon, United States
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €45
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 13–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** raspberry, cherry, plum, rose, herbaceous, vanilla, cloves, cedar, forest floor, leather, tar

## About this wine

Lingua Franca was co-founded by Master Sommelier Larry Stone and iconic Burgundy winemaker Dominique Lafon, with winemaking led by Thomas Savre. The name 'Avni' translates to 'stone' in Hebrew, paying homage to the intensely stony, volcanic soils of the Eola-Amity Hills and surrounding Willamette Valley. 'Lingua Franca' represents a universal language, reflecting how fine wine brings people together. Sourced from organic and regeneratively farmed vineyards, this wine captures the unique terroir of Oregon's volcanic hillsides.

## Interesting facts

- The name 'Avni' translates to 'stone' in Hebrew, celebrating the volcanic, stony soils of the Willamette Valley.
- Co-founded by Master Sommelier Larry Stone and legendary Burgundian winemaker Dominique Lafon.
- The 2022 vintage earned the #16 spot on Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2025 with a 94-point score.

## Food pairing

This elegant Pinot Noir thrives alongside dishes that match its medium body and vibrant acidity. The wine's bright red fruit and earthy undertones beautifully complement rich, oily fish like salmon, as well as roasted poultry and game. Its fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity cut through savory fats without overwhelming the delicate flavors of the food.

## Wine making process

The grapes were hand-harvested, sorted, and destemmed. Fermentation occurred spontaneously with wild yeasts in medium and large stainless steel and concrete tanks, bin-fed without pumping. To enhance aromatic complexity, ten percent of the fruit was fermented as whole clusters in airtight tanks. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barriques (27% new), followed by an additional four months in tank for final assemblage prior to bottling.