Today we share the world-class wines of Walter Scott, founded by Erica Landon and Ken Pahlow. Walter Scott honors two integral 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. I have really enjoyed these from my personal cellar and they age so gracefully.
The’22s and ‘23s were incredible. Each were done with a different style with the ‘22s a touch more mineral-laden. 2024 Walter Scott wines have amazing texture and stability. They are going to be exceedingly long-lasting wines. For my money one of the great Chardonnays made in North America, the 2024 Walter Scott ‘X Novo Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 98) has flat out fabulous reduction and flavor range. It is a dazzling new Chardonnay that is a must-buy for any serious collector of Oregon wine. Learn more at https://www.walterscottwine.com Here are my tasting notes from the beautiful new lineup of Walter Scott wines.
2024 Walter Scott Bracken Vineyard’ Aligote + Chardonnay- A new wine for me, the 2024 ‘Bracken Vineyard’ combines both Aligote and Chardonnay. Walter Scott Aligote shows off its matchstick and wild mushroom notes on the nose alongside rich melon and orange blossom tones. It comes off marvelously nutty with Macadamia and salted peanut notes that combine with dense melon and citrus blossom water tones on the palate. The stony character here is outstanding. Enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2026-2034- 94
2024 Walter Scott ‘Cuvee Anne’ Chardonnay- A sensational edition of this wine, the 2024’Cuvee Anne’ is a killer value that was sourced from a range of sites spanning the Willamette Valley. It is light on its feet with terrific texture. Sourdough bread and salted peach flavors combine with shades of wet gravel and pastry crust on the palate. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next eight years. Drink 2026-2034- 94
2024 Walter Scott ‘Koosah Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Coming from this location set on stony soils, the 2024 ’Koosah Vineyard’Chardonnay offers amazing aromatic range. In the glass this shows off honeysuckle and Meyer lemon zest tones that combine with shades of banana and salted mixed nuts. The palate is lithe and beautifully-textured, with a great push-pull in terms of weight and finesse. The diatom and stony nuances add to the enjoyment. Complex and delicious toe enjoy in its heady youth, watch this evolve over the next ten plus years to come. Bravo! Drink 2026-2041- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘Justice Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘Justice Vineyard’ comes from this location owned by the Casteel family, set on ancient marine sedimentary soils. Once on the nose this takes on lemon rind and nectarine tones that combine with kumquat blossom and green herbs with stony nuances on the nose. The palate is vibrant and very nervy with terrific flavor density. Drinking marvelously now, enjoy over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘Hyland Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The outstanding 2024 ‘Hyland Vineyard’ comes from a single block of 1979-planted Chardonnay. Aged 35% new French oak before bottling, this shows green apple and freshly cut lime flavors that meld well with rich melon fruits and wet rock with toasty brioche notes on the palate. A big, bold and dense bottling that brilliantly shows the warmth of the vintage, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This 2024 ‘Freedom Hill' Chardonnay was sourced from this location set on marine sedimentary, uplifted seabed. The wine was aged in roughly 50% new French oak prior to bottling, as this slowly unveils aromatics of crushed wet gravel, diatom and tangerine blossom alongside shades of salted French bread. The palate has terrific nerve and texture, as the finesse and flavor density really entices — as does the near minute-long finish. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘X Novo Vineyard’ Chardonnay- A standout Oregon Chardonnay, the 2024 ‘X Novo Vineyard’ is a heart-thumping joyride that goes from beginning, middle to end. It is weighty and dense but has flat out fabulous nerve with serious reduction and stony essence. A terrific melange of citrus and melon fruits greets you on the palate, pushing tropical tons of papaya and mango. Finishing for nearly an entire minute, this is a resounding success that will live on for at least another fifteen years. This is clearly one of the finest new world Chardonnays that I have tasted in the past year. Drink 2026-2041- 98
2024 Walter Scott ‘Witness Tree Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2024 Walter Scott ‘Witness Tree Vineyard’ Chardonnay is a stunning wine that has a long life in front of it. Saline drenched melon and peaches combine with shades of toasted hazelnut and brioche bread on the palate. Finishing very long, with copious stony minerals, enjoy this beauty now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘Sojeau Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The incredible 2024 ‘Sojeau Vineyard’ Chardonnay shows off fig and mango on the nose with shades of roasted pineapple and pastry crust. The palate has terrific weight and flavor density, with a great push/pull between stony and salty nuances. The near minute-long finish accentuates this beauty the has a long way to. go in the cellar. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2023 Walter Scott ‘Lucile’ Chardonnay- The stunning 2023 ‘Lucille’ was sourced from the Mt. Pisqah AVA and old vine plantings from the famed Freedom Hill Vineyard. It is weighty and has incredible depth and power. Nutty and stony nuances combine with shades of white peach, Japanese pear and kiwi on the palate. Finishing for nearly a minute long, this is a head-turning, very mineral-laden bottling that has a long life in front of it. Give it about 30 minutes of air if consuming now. Drink 2026-2043- 97
2024 Walter Scott ‘Cuvee Ruth’ Pinot Noir- Another awesome edition of this wine, the 2024 ‘Cuvee Ruth’ comes from a range of Willamette Valley locations. It shows salty soils alongside a generous melange of red and dark fruits on the palate, with tobacco leaf and hints of peat moss. Gorgeous now, with awesome verve, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2026-2036- 94
2024 Walter Scott ‘Koosah Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Koosah Vineyard’ is owned by Resonance winery and set 55 miles from the Pacific Ocean, with strong breezy impact from the coast. The wine shows off tart red fruits with orange blossom, wintergreen and hints of red florals on the nose. The palate is dense and chewy with refined tannins and terrific flavor density. Chewy and round throughout the drinking experience, with a terrific combination of red and dark fruits alongside earthy and stony nuance, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2026-2042- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘Sojeau Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Sojeau Vineyard’ hails from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA as vines are set on volcanic soils. Aged 15 months in 35% new French oak, this opens with a beautiful bouquet of black and red florals alongside pipe tobacco, wet rock and shades of red licorice. The palate is plush with serious tension and salty/stony character. Big and robust, with vibrant acidity, this is going to be a twenty year wine — but it is irresistible in its heady youth. Drink 2026-2042- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘Witness Tree Vineyards’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2024 ‘Witness Tree’ Pinot Noir is sourced this site set in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Seaweed and wet rock combine with tart red fruits and red florals on the nose. The palate is mineral-laden and fresh with medium-bodied red raspberry and crushed mint flavors that collide with copious stony minerals. Drink 2026-2041- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘X Novo Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- A stunner from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, the 2024 ‘X Novo’ Pinot Noir opens with a gorgeous combination of black roses and oud. The palate is soft and inviting on the mouth with great tension and stony nuances. Seamless throughout the drinking experience, with a core of tart red and dark fruits alongside sage and forest floor notes, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2026-2044- 97
2024 Walter Scott ‘Justice Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2024 ‘Justice Vineyard’ comes from this 40-acre site farmed by the Casteel family set on volcanic clay soils. Crushed wet gravel and black florals fill the nose alongside dried herbs and wild blackberry. The palate is soft and seamless with a terrific mouthfeel and lots of stony tension. Dense and rich, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2026-2045- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2024 Walter Scott ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from old Pinot Noir plantings in Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Stored in primarily neutral French oak, this shows off tangerine zest and red florals on the nose with wet gravel and shades of red licorice. The palate is lush and elegant with serious verve and stony/salty character. Glorious now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen plus years to come. Try to give this an our of air if opening now. Drink 2026-2042- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The very nervy 2024 ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir was sourced from vines that were planted all the way back in 1981. This drinks almost like a 2019 or 2022 in terms of fabulous tension, alongside medium-bodied tart red and dark fruits, with orange rind and tobacco leaf nuances. It is really just an infant but is thrilling to consume in its mineral-laden youth. Brilliant! Give this at least 30 minutes of air if consuming now. Drink 2026-2043- 96
2024 Walter Scott ‘Sequitur Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- One of the great Oregon Pinot Noirs I’ve had in the past year, the otherworldly 2024 ‘Sequitur Vineyard’ comes from this famed Ribbon Ridge AVA site, planted between 2012-2014. It is brimming with tension, concentration and salty minerality, as pure red and dark fruits collide with wafts of dark truffle shavings and peat moss undertones on the palate. It is marvelous to consume now in its heady youth but has a long life in front of it. Drink 2026-2046- 97