Lemon, lemon pith, acacia, all very well balanced … but hiding beneath the reduced matchstick and gunflint nose that, as others have said, carries onto the palate.
From Coravin, so wonder if it would benefit from a decant, or more age. Clearly a well made wine, and WS may be my current favorite American chard producer.
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This was good, very good. That said though it didn't really exceed my expectations like the Freedom Hill did. Probably because my expectations were high based on all the recent reviews/hype etc around the WS chardonnays. Don't get me wrong this is very pure, perfectly balanced, and has lovely intensity and it was lovely. For some reason though I thought it might have one more gear. Guess we will see with some more time.
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The nose shows mint, butter, cream, green and yellow apples, baking spice, and seashell. The palate is acid-driven, showing much less oak than the nose, almost sharp but offset by the rich weight of minerally material. The creamy fruit reappears on the lengthy finish. This has very good components but hasn’t yet fully integrated. Give it time.
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Lemon and super reduced gunflint/matchstick..Like sucking on a stone. 13% alc. Good stuff, but I think it needs some time to settle down. Will again in a couple years. 91-93 range for me today.
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Lovely nose of lemon/chalk and stinging acidity. Very focused and intense with a strong reductive note that should dissipate with time. That lick of matchstick follows through on the palate with really delicious underlying fruit flavors of green apple and lemon/lime balanced by the crisp acidity. The finish is vibrant and complex with notes of spearmint and chalky minerals. One of the most exciting white wine producers I've run across in the US in a long time but that's coming from a Burgundy lover to put in perspective. Their reds are damned good also. 92+
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Hints of hay, little bits of citrus, little bits of butter and then to tropical notes. Similar in the mouth but the tropical notes of coconut, mango & pineapple take over. Very balanced and a beautiful Chardonnay.
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This is a standout. Smoke and matchstick, green tea leaves, apple skin, tart apple/citrus impressions in the mouth. Its chock full of mineral, and dried limestone impressions and maybe spice seed like caraway or fennel! Great stuff!
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On opening, the nose here is less reductive than the Sojeau but more so than the Freedom Hill. This is fairly clenched on the palate, though. It is still enjoyable, but it will take some time before this wine fully spreads its wings.
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Then taut and brisk, with lemony/citrus accents on the palate. This could be enjoyed right now (and I am), but also has serious upside once it settles in and starts to unwind a bit.
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Walter Scott 2019 Vintage Virtual Barrel tasting (Zoom): Tank sample just prior to bottling. Once again there is a very well-integrated and attractive reduction note with plenty of mineral and stone complementing the white fruits. Lovely, round textured white fruits. A substantial big wine though this shows great refinement and a steely delicacy in the finish. 92-93+
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Barrel sample tasting kit. This was elegant and lovely. Todd mentioned spring water right away on the tasting chat. I totally agreed, mentioned its what I call cistern perceptions. As it was, it was dry and lovely, light bodied, with cool toned white fruit, and a gorgeous, easy going, swallow. Like all of the WS whites it has plenty of "stuff" but its never clunky, just smooth and seamless, riveting!
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Walter Scott 2019 Barrel Tasting (Home): The 2019 Walter Scott Freedom Hill Vineyard is also slightly reductive, which is a running trend with the Walter Scott wines this year. The nose features gun flint, lemon, mint on the nose. Medium bodied with some savory flavors.
Futures "barrel" tasting (at home). Jim 3rd best of 4 Chardonnays
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12/28/2023 - Palisades57 wrote: 92 Points
Lemon, lemon pith, acacia, all very well balanced … but hiding beneath the reduced matchstick and gunflint nose that, as others have said, carries onto the palate.
From Coravin, so wonder if it would benefit from a decant, or more age. Clearly a well made wine, and WS may be my current favorite American chard producer.
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12/3/2023 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
This was good, very good. That said though it didn't really exceed my expectations like the Freedom Hill did. Probably because my expectations were high based on all the recent reviews/hype etc around the WS chardonnays. Don't get me wrong this is very pure, perfectly balanced, and has lovely intensity and it was lovely. For some reason though I thought it might have one more gear. Guess we will see with some more time.
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7/14/2023 - tooch wrote: 92 Points
Really nice, focused chardonnay. Had the classic Walter Scott body to it with nice matchstick aromas and flavors and a zesty, zippy citrus body.
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12/20/2022 - coremill wrote: 90 Points
The nose shows mint, butter, cream, green and yellow apples, baking spice, and seashell. The palate is acid-driven, showing much less oak than the nose, almost sharp but offset by the rich weight of minerally material. The creamy fruit reappears on the lengthy finish. This has very good components but hasn’t yet fully integrated. Give it time.
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11/19/2022 - Pinot_Geek Likes this wine:
Lemon and super reduced gunflint/matchstick..Like sucking on a stone. 13% alc.
Good stuff, but I think it needs some time to settle down.
Will again in a couple years. 91-93 range for me today.
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10/21/2022 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely nose of lemon/chalk and stinging acidity. Very focused and intense with a strong reductive note that should dissipate with time. That lick of matchstick follows through on the palate with really delicious underlying fruit flavors of green apple and lemon/lime balanced by the crisp acidity. The finish is vibrant and complex with notes of spearmint and chalky minerals. One of the most exciting white wine producers I've run across in the US in a long time but that's coming from a Burgundy lover to put in perspective. Their reds are damned good also. 92+
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3/8/2022 - krhaugh wrote: 92 Points
Hints of hay, little bits of citrus, little bits of butter and then to tropical notes. Similar in the mouth but the tropical notes of coconut, mango & pineapple take over. Very balanced and a beautiful Chardonnay.
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1/1/2022 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a standout. Smoke and matchstick, green tea leaves, apple skin, tart apple/citrus impressions in the mouth. Its chock full of mineral, and dried limestone impressions and maybe spice seed like caraway or fennel! Great stuff!
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11/24/2021 - 87tellub Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well, once opened this bottle didn't last long.
Tons of matchstick reduction on the nose. Steely and mineral on the entry, nutty on the mid-palate, citrus, with grapefuit and lime, on the finish.
This is just an excellent bottle of wine and will be exciting to see what it becomes in the years ahead.
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5/4/2021 - rc@ughey wrote: 89 Points
Well-put together, with dense fruit that will expand with age. But it's pretty reduced and foursquare at this stage. Tasty with upside.
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4/4/2021 - Bob H wrote:
On opening, the nose here is less reductive than the Sojeau but more so than the Freedom Hill. This is fairly clenched on the palate, though. It is still enjoyable, but it will take some time before this wine fully spreads its wings.
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3/6/2021 - Bob H wrote:
A reductive petrol note on the nose.
Then taut and brisk, with lemony/citrus accents on the palate. This could be enjoyed right now (and I am), but also has serious upside once it settles in and starts to unwind a bit.
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12/18/2020 - Nanda wrote:
Walter Scott 2019 Vintage Virtual Barrel tasting (Zoom): Tank sample just prior to bottling. Once again there is a very well-integrated and attractive reduction note with plenty of mineral and stone complementing the white fruits. Lovely, round textured white fruits. A substantial big wine though this shows great refinement and a steely delicacy in the finish. 92-93+
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12/13/2020 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine:
Barrel sample tasting kit. This was elegant and lovely. Todd mentioned spring water right away on the tasting chat. I totally agreed, mentioned its what I call cistern perceptions. As it was, it was dry and lovely, light bodied, with cool toned white fruit, and a gorgeous, easy going, swallow. Like all of the WS whites it has plenty of "stuff" but its never clunky, just smooth and seamless, riveting!
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12/12/2020 - jgreco Likes this wine: 91 Points
Walter Scott 2019 Barrel Tasting (Home): The 2019 Walter Scott Freedom Hill Vineyard is also slightly reductive, which is a running trend with the Walter Scott wines this year. The nose features gun flint, lemon, mint on the nose. Medium bodied with some savory flavors.
Futures "barrel" tasting (at home).
Jim 3rd best of 4 Chardonnays
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12/12/2020 - 87tellub Likes this wine:
Walter Scott 2019 Vintage Barrel Tasting (My Dining Room Table & Zoom!): From barrel sample tasting kit.
Nose is matchstick, creamy lemon, runny cheese. Very tasty. Clean, fresh citrus, like tangerine. Very structured. Blockbuster in the making.
I ranked this #1 out of the 4.
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12/12/2020 - Nutty08 wrote:
Shipped barrel sample. Elegant and refined, steely. Light on the palate with depth on the finish. Quite good.
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