Lingua Franca: Crafting Expressive Wines from Oregon’s Unique Terroir
The Vancouver International Wine Festival is from February 22 until March 2nd, providing an opportunity to get to know our neighbours to the south. Let’s put our trade battles aside, unite over great wine, and enjoy conversations with folks who have made the trek up to enlighten us. Find out what makes wines from California, Washington State and Oregon unique. At the same time, you also sample your fair share of local BC wines, and hit up the sections where Italy, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, and Greece are bringing in their top wines. You’ll note that one of the festival’s themes this year, is “Wines for a Better Planet”, sustainably produced, some organic or biodynamic, and wineries using regenerative farming practices. Don’t miss the booth devoted to these wines in the tasting room.
We recently caught up with Josh Wludyka, Lingua Franca’s Director of Brand, a panelist at West Coast Allstars, a seminar on Thursday (still a couple tickets left), and will be in the main tasting room. Lingua Franca is a Willamette Valley winery, and is known as a true industry pioneer for organic, and biodynamic farming practices that continue to advance sustainability in winemaking.
About Josh Wludyka
As Lingua Franca’s Director of Brand, Josh Wludyka has been part of the winery’s journey since its inception in 2015. Initially working alongside winemaker Thomas Savre through every harvest, he moved from the Caribbean to Oregon in late 2017 to join founder Larry Stone in managing national and international distribution.
Before Lingua Franca, Josh worked with Master Sommelier Larry Stone at the renowned two-star Michelin Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago. After Chef Trotter’s retirement, he relocated to the Cayman Islands, where he further honed his expertise in food and wine. He opened a cocktail bar there and earned a place among Diageo’s Top 100 Bartenders in the world. His talent also led him to win twice the coveted title of Food & Wine’s Cayman Cookout Champion, judged by icons such as Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert, José Andrés, Daniel Boulud, and Emeril Lagasse.
Josh is looking forward to trying the variety of cuisines Vancouver is known for, we hope he has time to grab a few bites. There’s a great post about Josh here as well.
Side note! If you can ever make it to the Cayman Island Cookout, you are in for a massive treat. I went in 2013 and was lucky enough to spend time with Tony Bourdain, Eric Ripert, and Jose Andres. Chef Andres arrived on the beach on a fly board, grabbed a chef jacket, and proceeded to demonstrate how to make the biggest paella I’d ever seen.
Lingua Franca Winery
Lingua Franca is located in the Willamette Valley, 40 minutes south of Portland, a region rooted in agriculture. Positioned on the fringes of Portland, the climate here creates ideal growing conditions for expressive, terroir-driven wines. The winery is in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, which is defined by volcanic soils that retain water, providing a natural framework for vine growth. There are 30 wineries in this region, making it quite an adventure to visit.
The winery was founded by Master Sommelier Larry Stone who acquired the 61-hectare Janzen Farm in the Eola-Amity Hills in 2012, recognizing its potential for producing exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. He sold his wine collection to fund the purchase and development of the vineyard. Initially, Stone planned to sell the vineyard’s fruit. However, renowned Burgundian winemaker Dominique Lafon persuaded him to produce his wine from the site. They partnered with winemaker Thomas Savre and constructed a winery completed in 2016.
The Lingua Franca vineyard estate spans 120–150 acres, with 70 acres currently planted, and sources from vineyards with similar volcanic soils. The site is notable for its elevation gain of 300 feet, benefiting from soils with enhanced minerality, elegance, and balance. Winemaker Thomas Savre believes in minimal intervention, producing food-friendly wines. Lingua Franca has over 40 years of Pinot Noir cultivation and are pioneers in Chardonnay production, crafting wines that showcase elegance, higher acidity, and restrained alcohol levels while maintaining structure and complexity.
Just what does a commitment to sustainability look like? Lingua Franca is dedicated to regenerative agriculture and biodynamics to ensure long-term environmental health. The winery doesn’t till between vineyard rows to preserve microbiomes and utilizes cover crops to maintain soil health naturally. There’s even dwarf sheep, protected by llamas, for natural vineyard management. You’ll also find beehives on-site for biodiversity and natural pest control.
Climate change has had less impact on this region than on regions further south, but the biggest challenges come from extreme vintage variations and potential smoke taint. The winery focuses on being responsible stewards of the land, benefiting from natural moisture retention, which allows it to avoid irrigation.
If you want to taste some Lingua Franca wines this year, you’re in luck as it’s their 10th Anniversary Celebration. There’s a new glass-walled tasting room on the property with breathtaking vineyard views, and they’ve expanded their gardens. Lingua Franca is proud to be featured in world-class dining programs, including Le Bernardin (New York)(, Canlis (Seattle), Saison (San Francisco), and Frasca (Boulder). To formally celebrate their 10 years, Lingua Franca will be at Frasca, a Michelin one star restaurant in Boulder, Colorado on April 5, 2025.. Tickets and more info on TOCK.
At the Vancouver International Wine Festival, the winery will showcase Oregon’s chardonnay movement and bring a selection of Chardonnay wines, highlighting its growing prominence in Oregon. Once dominated by Pinot Gris, Chardonnay now accounts for 40% of Oregon’s highest-rated wines. Josh notes that “Regardless of political or economic shifts, people will always care about what’s in their glass,” and we fully concur.
Other Oregon Wineries to Explore at the Vancouver International Wine Festival:
Adelsheim Vineyard (Chehalem Mountains) – A foundational winery in the region.
Citation Wine
Erath (Dundee Hills) – A key player in shaping Oregon’s wine industry.
The Wines
Lingua Franca AVNI Chardonnay, 2021
Crafted from select vineyards across the Willamette Valley with expressive aromas of golden apple, matchstick, almonds, and crème fraîche. This medium-bodied wine has concentrated, savoury flavors, bright acidity, subtle toasty oak, and a long, seamless finish.
Lingua Franca AVNI Pinot Noir, 2022
Elegant, harmonious, and impeccably balanced with a velvety mouthfeel, this red fruit-forward has notes of black cherry, spice, black tea, and fresh herbs. This Pinot Noir is a perfect match for hot smoked salmon, roasted poultry, and grilled meats
Lingua Franca Estate Chardonnay, 2021
The Estate Chard is vibrant and focused, showcasing classic acidity and structure. The palate has a refined balance of citrus peel, green apple, honeysuckle, and river stone minerality. This wine pairs beautifully with shellfish, seafood pasta, paella, and roast lemon chicken.
