Professional reviews
Robert Parker (94)
A barrel selection, the 2023 Chardonnay Sisters has layered aromas of matchstick, stone fruit, beeswax, panna cotta and graham cracker. The medium-bodied palate is expansive and textural with savory flavors. It’s balanced by vibrant acidity and has a very long finish.
James Suckling (95)
Elegant, powerful and nuanced, this full-bodied wine has aromas of fresh cream, citrus, hazelnuts and almond skin. The rich, juicy palate has flavors of ripe citrus, stone fruit, spiced apples and pears. There’s slight tannic tension in the finish with some resinous herbs at the end. The acidity holds it all together.
Jancis Robinson (18)
Full bottle just 1,203 g. Their top barrel selection of Chardonnay is called Sisters in memory of Larry Stone MS’s Romanian mother and aunt who remained inseparable for 90 years even after being forced to leave home. From the Lingua Franca website: ‘The grapes were whole-cluster pressed, settled in tank for an average of 24 hours, then barrel fermented with wild yeast and natural acidity in a combination of 25% new 600-litre puncheons and 75% neutral French oak from diverse French coopers. These were made to our specification with a long and light toast, and often with proprietary wood sources that reduce the flavour impact of the barrel. Full malolactic fermentation was completed in each vessel, and after the wine was blended it was put into a stainless-steel tank with its lees for 6 months prior to bottling. Barrel fermentation and leaving the wines on its lees allows the wine to remain basically untouched and unmoved until it is getting ready for assembly and bottling.’
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
The 2023 Chardonnay Sisters is more yellow but bright in color and has more salinity as well as an appealing reductive flintiness, with lime zest, white peach, and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, it has supple roundness yet retains the tension and focus it needs, showing finesse and impressive length on the palate. Drink 2025-2037.
