Wines
HEARTS DELIGHT Q&A
Q: What do you want your legacy to be (personally or professionally)?
A: That I have inspired the birth of an entire profession.
Q: What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?
A: Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park tie
Q: What is the dumbest/funniest way you have ever been injured?
A: Breaking my feet in ski boots. I was about to run a slalom race and a friend told me to borrow his boots that would provide a firmer platform for carving an edge. Unfortunately they were a bit too narrow and when he clamped the levers down it broke my big toes on both feet! I did have great edge control however until lunch when I took of the boots and my feet swelled to double their normal dimensions.
Lingua Franca
Larry Stone MS
Willamette Valley, OR
Featured:
Wednesday, May 9th at the Congress Has Heart Reception and Collectors Dinner
Within a few months of becoming the ninth Master Sommelier in the United States, Larry Stone became the first American to win the prestigious Grand Prix de Sopexa for the title of the Best International Sommelier in French Wines in Paris. He continued as a restaurateur and sommelier for the next 20 years. He opened the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. Then as General Manager and Sommelier of Charlie Trotter’s Restaurant from 1989 to 1993, Larry helped to bring it to world prominence at the side of its talented chef/owner.
In 1993 he opened Rubicon Restaurant with New York restaurateur Drew Nieporent and Chef Traci des Jardin. Partners with them were Robert De Niro, Robin Williams and Francis Ford Coppola.
Among the awards earned were a Michelin Star, the Restaurants and Institutions Ivy Award, Food and Wine Silver Spoon, James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who, Wine Spectator ‘s Grand Award for 12 years running, and two JBF Outstanding Wine Service Awards.
Larry became a board member of the Coppola Companies, and then in 2006 General Manager of historic Inglenook/Rubicon Estate, and President of the Rutherford Dust Society. In 1996, with Mark Tarlov, he conceived of Evening Land Seven Springs, which he ran 2010-2012.
In 2012 Larry bought a prime Eola-Amity Hills property next door to Seven Springs on Lone Star Road, then planned and planted the 66-acre Lingua Franca Estate. In 2016 Lingua Franca winery was completed with Dominique Lafon as the consulting winemaker and the brilliant young French winemaker, Thomas Savre.