Another year, another sensational lineup of Walter Scott wines. It has now been fifteen years since Walter Scott was formed by Erica Landon and Ken Pahlow. Years in the making, the name Walter Scott honors two important men in Ken’s life: Walter, Ken's grandfather, who was a flight engineer for Trans World Airlines and Scott, and Ken's nephew who passed away young and reminded both Ken and Erica that life can be exceedingly short. Their first vintage was produced in 2009 at Patricia Green Cellars and in 2011 Walter Scott began making Chardonnay, which was met immediately with seriously good critical acclaim. The rest has been history.
These are wines that defy vintage. The last full set of releases came from 2019, as they made a limited amount of wines (albeit very good wines) in the 2020 vintage. The new wines come from 2021 and are fleshier and more flamboyant than the 2019s, with bright underlying acidity.
Do not miss out on the 2021 Walter Scott ‘Cuvee Anne’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is utterly sensational stuff for the price. The best wine I tasted was once again the very stony and flinty 2021 Walter Scott ‘X Novo Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 96) which would pass for a world-class Chablis if blinded. Salty and very stony, this is a marvelous effort that will go head to head with anything else made in the Willamette Valley. Learn more at https://www.walterscottwine.com Here are my tasting notes from the beautiful new lineup of Walter Scott wines.
2021 Walter Scott ‘Cuvee Anne’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Cuvee Anne’ comes from a range of vineyards and was stored in less than 50% new French oak before bottling. This edition is seriously good with gunmetal notes alongside freshly baked brioche, green apple, lemon rind and shades of stony minerals on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 94
2021 Walter Scott ‘Koosah Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This bright and very elegant Chardonnay comes from this site that has a strong influence from the Pacific Ocean and is littered with broken basalt. The nose comes off very stony and shows pretty honeysuckle and white rose water tones alongside shades of Japanese pear. The palate is soft and refined with serious underlying tension and good weight. Quite literally a joy to drink, this brilliant Oregon Chardonnay will live on for another fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 95
2021 Walter Scott ‘X Novo’ Chardonnay- This wine has developed a cult following over the years. This edition is seamless, silky and very elegant Chardonnay that will live on for two decades. On the nose this takes on poached pear and pastry crust notes that combine with toasted hazelnut and suggestions of cardamom dusted pineapple. The palate is soft and round with seriously good underlying finesse. The flinty tones take you straight to Burgundy, as this beauty is drinking marvelously even at the two year mark. Drink 2023-2038- 96
2021 Walter Scott ‘Justice Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Really fantastic even now, the 2021 ‘Justice Vineyard’ comes from this location that was purchased back in 1999 by the Casteel family. This shows off really good richness with toasted macadamia nut, white peach, vanilla cream and shades of salted French bread on the palate. Finishing very long, with good viscosity, this beautiful wine is really singing now. Drink 2023-2038- 95
2021 Walter Scott ‘Hyland Vineyard’ Chardonnay- For years the ‘Hyland Vineyard’ has been coveted for its old vine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This is a dense and mineral-driven Chardonnay with layers of kiwi, kumquat zest, wet stone and peach pit notes on the palate. Showing a great combination of weight, viscosity and finesse, this beauty is already hitting its stride — and will live on for at least another decade. Drink 2023-2035- 95
2021 Walter Scott ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay- For years I have loved Chardonnays from this 140 acre property that is set on marine sedimentary, uplifted seabed, which are some of the oldest in the region. Wet salty stones mark the nose alongside suggestions of starfruit and nutmeg laced marzipan. The palate is soft and refined, brimming with tension and salinity. Finishing very long with vanilla cream and copious stony minerals, this is lifted Chardonnay that is best enjoyed over the next fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 95
2021 Walter Scott ‘Koosah Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Koosah Vineyard was purchased by Resonance Winery in 2022 and is located 55 miles from the Pacific Ocean, as the site encompasses 82 acres (44 acres planted). Tart cranberry and wild blackberry greet you on the palate, with wet stone, peat moss and shades of kumquat zest. Very elegant now, this delicious and well-structured Pinot Noir will live on for at least another fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 95
2021 Walter Scott ‘Sojeau Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Coming from this site in the Eola-Amity Hills, the 2021 ‘Sojeau Vineyard’ Pinot Noir offers ripe salmonberry and teaberry notes on the nose alongside baking spices and shades of kumquat zest on the nose. The palate offers lovely tart red fruit flavors alongside rose water, copious minerals a silky texture and great underlying finesse. This beauty will go for potentially two decades. Drink 2023-2038- 94
2021 Walter Scott ‘Justice Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- For years Pinot Noir from the Justice Vineyard has slipped under the radar. The site is located on a bench that slopes very gradually to the south from 520 to 420 feet elevation and has 17 acres of Pinot Noir vines planted. The palate is plush and polished with gorgeous red and dark fruits alongside tilled salty soils and shades of cardamom. Really refined, this is glorious in its full-throttle youth but will cellar for another two decades. Drink 2023-2042- 95
2021 Walter Scott ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Coming from this famed site which was first established back in 1981 in the foot hills of the Oregon coast range northwest of Monmouth, Oregon, the wine offers beautiful pink rose petals on the nose, alongside red currants, tobacco leaf and cran-orange notes. The palate is loaded with crunchy red fruit and a silky texture, with glorious length. A complete wine, this is absolutely singing now but will live on for decades to come. Drink 2023-2042- 95
2021 Walter Scott ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The famed ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ is located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Shades of tar and tobacco leaf with mesquite all come together on the nose with tart dark fruit notes. The palate is lithe and polished with good weight and bright acidity. A gorgeous core of red and dark fruits greet you, with stony accents and tilled soil features that compliment the fruit nicely. Enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 94
2021 Walter Scott ‘X Novo Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Really good, just like their Chardonnay from this site, the 2021 ‘X Novo Vineyard’ Pinot Noir offers citrus rind notes on the nose alongside cranberry and shades of red licorice and allspice. The palate is very mineral-driven with good verve and beautiful strawberry, pomegranate seed and volcanic soil notes. Enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 95
2021 Walter Scott ‘Sequitur Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Sequitur Vineyard is a storied site in the Ribbon Ridge Vineyard, and was planted by the founders of Beaux Freres. The wine is silky smooth with a soft mouthfeel. Layers of boysenberry and marionberry combine with bright acidity and salty accents. Glorious in its heady youth, this will live on for another fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 95