TN: 2018 Walter Scott Cuvée Anne Chardonnay

The nose is smoky and flinty in the modern style of white Burgundy from good producers, and there’s also a really attractive salted caramel-covered nut character with white flowers. The palate is incisive and focused with lively acid but with an attractive breadth and weight; I love the perfect tightrope walking here between the elegance and raciness of the Old World with the roundness of the New. There’s certainly lots of room for development here but it’s drinking really, really well at present.

I’m so happy to have finally gotten my hands on a Walter Scott wine, and I’m glad they appear to have representation in our market. I can’t wait to try their other bottlings, and between this wine and the Eyrie I had last week Chardonnay appears to be entering a golden era in Oregon.

(Marcus, time to ship a few cases up here!)

Couldn’t agree more. I’ve been very pleased with recent offerings from Walter Scott, Eyrie, Lingua Franca, Big Table Farm, Gran Moraine, Domaine Serene, etc…

Availability of top producers is scarce here, but I really hope the market responds with a bit of proof of life. I know first-hand that in restaurants Oregon is a tough sell on a list because of lack of consumer knowledge, but I’m trying to be an ambassador!

Wait till you get your hands on a X Novo. Walter Scott Chardonnays are world class.

Thanks for the note, Sean. Have some coming in once the weather cools. Looking forward to them.

Any thoughts on the Walter Scott Pinot’s?

Plenty of discussion about them on other threads but they are also excellent. For $25 the Combe Verte is a fantastic value and I have a particular fondness for the Temperance Hill. I have a few Seven Springs but haven’t opened one yet given my experience aging St Innocent Seven Springs pinots.

I get that impression as well. There seem to be a lot of Oregon chards in the $30-60 price range that are excellent quality, available at retail (at least if you shop on the internet) or from the winery’s website with little difficulty and no need for waiting lists or insider connections, and in the style that I personally prefer.

As Burgundy continues to price me and others out, I think I’ll be shifting more of my chardonnay buying to Oregon over time, as well as to the growing subset of California producers making styles that I like.

Great note Sean. Fantastic you found some up North.

I’m on a relatively modest budget, so I’m definitely with you on that. That said, this was $58+ US tax at retail (and for the record, I have no problem with that; they deserve every penny) in our byzantine and heavily-taxed system so it would be a bit more of an occasional purchase for me - would love to find something in this wheelhouse for ~20-30 USD.

(That said, the Freedom Hill Chard that was next to it may be beckoning…)

Thanks pal! I’m just really digging the elegance and purity these wines have had while still broadcasting a firm sense of place.