Lingua Franca 2022 "Avni" Pinot Noir 750ml

Both the red and white Avni are bottled under diam, which should give restaurants another level of confidence in terms of consistency if the wines have been store halfway decently. The 2022 Pinot Noir Avni offers a fantastic nose out of the gate, with ripe cherries. A joyful wine, it’s floral and pretty, retaining lovely freshness, with a chalky texture and a clean finish. It’s everything I would want in a wine by the glass at a high-end restaurant or on a bottle list. Drink over the next 5-6 years.

Score: 92+ points -- Audrey Frick, jebdunnock.com, 2024