It was another great day of wine tasting on the third day of our trip in the Willamette Valley. We enjoyed a tasting and Vineyard tour at Beaux Frères Vineyards & Winery and the highlight of the day was a special blind tasting at Lingua Franca with the Master Sommalier extraordinaire and Vineyard owner Larry Stone.
My review of the tastings are as follows:
2021 Star Mooring Pinot Noir – Beaux Frères Vineyards
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Tiny berry, thick skin. Smoky, dark berry, and tobacco. Secondary red fruit with earthy and leather elements.
Characteristics: Higher acidity, structured, and age-worthy. From a warmer vintage with generous yield.
Pairing: Smoked brisket, mushroom cassoulet, or grilled lamb.
Note: No personal score recorded, but critic ratings typically range between 94 and 97 points.
2021 Beaux Frères Vineyard Pinot Noir
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Fruit-forward, dark fruit, leather, tobacco, vanilla, and oak.
Characteristics: Smooth, round, and layered. Great aromatic expression — “love the nose.” ABV: 13.5%
Pairing: Duck confit, grilled lamb, or mushroom stroganoff.
My Rating: 96 points
2021 Beaux Frères Upper Terrace Pinot Noir
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Dark fruit, vegetal tones, lavender, floral, and red pepper.
Characteristics: Acidic and expressive. More lifted aromatically. ABV: 13.7%
Pairing: Lavender-crusted pork, herbed lentils, or charred eggplant.
My Rating: 94 points
2022 Sequitur Vineyard Pinot Noir (Blended Clones)
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Dark fruit, barnyard mushroom, leather, earth, and a touch of sulfur.
Characteristics: Unfined and unfiltered. Deeper profile, chewy tannins, grounded and earthy. Forward and structured.
Pairing: Braised beef cheeks, mushroom polenta, or truffle-infused pasta.
My Rating: 93 points
2020 Volnay Pitures Dessus Premier Cru – Beaux Frères
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Mineral stone, dark fruit, red fruit, blue fruit. Vanilla and oak.
Characteristics: Fruit-forward, Burgundian in style. Elegant and refined with layered complexity.
Pairing: Duck breast with blackberry sauce, mushroom tart, or roasted game hen.
My Rating: 95+ points
2022 Maresh “Golden Crowned Sparrow Blocks” Pinot Noir – Kelley Fox Wines
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Red fruit, cherry, clove, pepper, spice.
Characteristics: Grown on volcanic soil (loam/clay). Juicy, slightly sweet, fruity on the front of the tongue. Described as “really good — like a Jolly Rancher.”
Pairing: Glazed pork, spicy duck breast, or cherry-balsamic beet salad.
My Rating: 95 points
2023 Grüner Veltliner
Varietal: Grüner Veltliner
Tasting Notes: Citrus, lemon.
Characteristics: Slight effervescence. Clean, crisp, acidic.
Pairing: Fresh oysters, lemon-herb grilled chicken, or asparagus salad.
My Rating: 92 points
Lingua Franca
2021 Lingua Franca Estate Chardonnay
Varietal: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Bright, acidic, and mineral-driven. Notes of citrus, honey, orange peel, clean lemon, lite vanilla, and oak.
Characteristics: Pleasant, elegant, and delicate.
Pairing: Grilled scallops, lemon-herb chicken, or chèvre with honey.
My Rating: 96 points
2020 Lingua Franca ‘Chers Amis’ Chardonnay
Varietal: Chardonnay (50% estate fruit, 50% regional fruit)
Tasting Notes: Oak, vanilla, coconut, citrus, lemon, grapefruit.
Characteristics: Round, balanced, complex, layered, and harmonious.
Pairing: Lobster tail with drawn butter, creamy pasta primavera, or citrus-glazed pork.
My Rating: 98 points
2021 Lingua Franca ‘Sisters’ Chardonnay
Varietal: Chardonnay (From the 5 most promising barrels)
Tasting Notes: Mineral, citrus, lemon, grapefruit.
Characteristics: Bright, clean, acid-driven, floral, and perfumed.
Pairing: Tuna tartare, lemon-garlic shrimp, or burrata with citrus zest.
My Rating: 97 points
2021 Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Red fruit, ruby red color, clear. Red cherry, candy apple, hay, leather, earth, slight vegetal note.
Characteristics: Slightly rustic with savory tones and freshness.
Pairing: Herb-roasted chicken, grilled mushrooms, or manchego with quince.
My Rating: 95 points
2021 Lingua Franca ‘Petit Géant’
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Rich, deep, and acidic. Orange peel, red and dark fruit, leather, hay, and vegetal notes.
Characteristics: Energetic, structured, layered.
Pairing: Grilled duck, lentil stew, or rosemary lamb.
My Rating: 96 points
2021 Lingua Franca ‘Novo Vivo’ Pinot Noir
Varietal: Pinot Noir (approx. 50% whole cluster, 50% new oak)
Tasting Notes: Garnet-purple hue. Deep, dark fruit, with primary fruit dominance.
Characteristics: Complex, acidic, round, and balanced.
Pairing: Braised beef, mushroom stroganoff, or aged cheddar.
My Rating: 98 points
2019 The Plow Pinot Noir – 943 Clone
Varietal: Pinot Noir (943 Clone)
Tasting Notes: Earth, leather, dark fruit, smoky tobacco. Deep and complex with a dark profile.
Characteristics: 50% new oak, 30% no stems, whole cluster (201%ish written, interpreted as a blend vintage). Layered, balanced, structured, and harmonious with a long finish.
Pairing: Chargrilled ribeye, wild boar ragu, or aged gouda.
My Rating: 97 points
2021 Mimi’s Mind Pinot Noir
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Not fully noted, but implied to be elegant and memorable.
Characteristics: Subtle, complex, and expressive with high aging potential.
Pairing: Duck with cherry reduction, mushroom tart, or rosemary lamb.
My Rating: 97+ points
