Lingua Franca Mimi's Mind Pinot Noir 2022

The 2022 Mimi’s Mind Pinot Noir from Lingua Franca is a wine shaped by philosophy as much as by place. It is drawn from a single block on the estate vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, where cooling winds and shallow volcanic soils come together to forge Pinot Noir of precision and inner tension. The wine is named in honour of Mimi Casteel, whose influence on regenerative farming practices runs deep in Oregon, and the wine reflects that ethos — vibrant, detailed, and deeply grounded.

In the glass, it presents a luminous ruby hue with clarity and poise. The aromatics are layered and elegant. Red and black cherry lead the way, joined by blackberry, rose petal, and a cool wash of wet stone. There is a gentle note of anise and crushed herbs, followed by a faint echo of tar and black tea. The bouquet is not flashy. It is considered, complex, and quietly thrilling.

On the palate, the wine moves with supple structure and restrained power. The entry is round, but there is a backbone of acidity that carries the fruit and defines the wine’s direction. Flavours of red cherry, pomegranate, blackberry and graphite unfold with subtle momentum. There is a sense of salinity here, a mineral edge that gives the wine both lift and depth. Tannins are fine and well-placed, offering shape and grip without excess weight. The texture is silken but firm, more architectural than plush.

The finish is long and composed, tapering gently with echoes of red fruit, herbs and mineral dust. It lingers not for effect, but because the elements are in harmony. The 2022 vintage was shaped by a challenging spring and a late, slow harvest, but the wine does not carry tension. It carries clarity. Everything feels deliberate and in balance.

This Pinot belongs with refined but earthy dishes. Duck breast with sour cherry, roast pork with herbs, or wild mushroom risotto would complement its savoury character. A lightly aged goat’s cheese or a washed-rind cow’s milk cheese would also be right at home. Serve slightly below room temperature in a wide bowl glass. Let it breathe slowly in the glass rather than in a decanter.

The 2022 Mimi’s Mind Pinot Noir is a wine that thinks as much as it feels. It is not a bottle that demands attention with scale. It earns it through grace, depth and intent. A wine that reflects not only the land it came from, but the careful mind behind it. Quietly confident, structurally complete, and undeniably expressive.