Producer | Walter Scott |
Country | USA |
Region | Oregon |
Subregion | Willamette Valley |
Varietal | Chardonnay |
Vintage | 2022 |
Sku | 8097 |
Size | 750ml |
From a vineyard that Ken Pahlow calls his favorite the bright silver/yellow 2022 Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard is more detailed on the nose with perfectly balanced reduction white pepper citrus blossoms lime zest pristine green apples and delicate toast spice. It?s balanced with a highly focused feel and has pristine great length an elegant linear feel ripe acidity and a beautiful texture. Stash this away and come back to it over the next 10 or more years. 425 cases were produced.
Reductive notes of smoky lime and flint announce the aromatics of this Chardonnay from Mt Pisgah's Freedom Hill Vineyard. The elegance and austerity of this mineral-rich wine spring forward with complimentary sea air and grilled pineapple aromas. The palate is lively, bright, and mineral-driven, as gobs of briny oyster shell touch off laser-focused citrus and smoky chipped flint. (Drink between 2024-2035)
As I have noted that the 2012 vintage was the first that Erika and Ken made wines from
Freedom Hill Vineyard, when they produced both a chardonnay and a pinot noir
The 2022 Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard is savory to the core with a burst of reduction that blows off to reveal masses of dried peach and nectarine complicated by dusty florals. It?s zesty within with a core of vibrant acidity and crunchy mineral tones further intensified by tart green apple fruit. The 2022 finishes salty and dramatically long yet still incredibly fresh leaving a subtle tug of sour melon. This is a wine of contrasts that?s nearly impossible to ignore. - By Eric Guido on May 2024 Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon of Walter Scott will do whatever it takes to deliver the highest-quality wine and the best representation of any given vintage. Their 2022s are wildly successful despite the year's many challenges. Pahlow went into great detail to explain what he believed to be the best way to deal with mildew issues from the cool and rainy spring burned buds from the frost an abundant crop due to the hot summer and finally the dry and hot conditions leading up to harvest. While many growers and winemakers were happy with the large crop set that resulted from the later flowering and secondary buds at Walter Scott the goal was to treat the vines like any other vintage. Therefore the team decided to remove the extra shoots and secondary buds and employ a single-cluster-per-shoot methodology. Even with this standard the quantity of fruit remained unexpectedly high? around 2.6 metric tons per acre. As a result the 2022s maintain the depth and complexity fans love and while the wines may have a slightly more immediate feel they are age-worthy. Alcohol levels are all in check. Though the 2022s did see a little more new wood (only because Pahlow ordered new barrels to keep up with production) it?s hardly noticeable in the final wines. I?ve always thought of Chardonnay before Pinot for Walter Scott but I must say their reds continue to impress in a significant way.
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