2016 Walter Scott Chardonnay La Combe Verte

• By Josh Raynolds
  Oregon’s Expanding Palette of Wines (Feb 2018), 2/18/2018, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Walter Scott Wines Chardonnay La Combe Vert Oregon White) Login and sign up and see review text.

JamesSuckling.com

• By James Suckling
  9/16/2017, (See more on JamesSuckling.com...)

  (Walter Scott Chardonnay Willamette Valley La Combe Verte, White, United States) Login and sign up and see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Successive Autumns, 9/6/2017, (See more on Full Pull...)

  (Walter Scott La Combe Verte Chardonnay) Hello friends. Though summer in Seattle isn’t truly over until well into September, the slight chill in the air that’s been infiltrating our city nightly has been coloring my dreams orange, yellow, and red. It’s been creating visions of chunky sweaters, slowly braised dinners, and bottle after bottle of Pinot Noir atop my table. This time of year reminds me of a favorite George Eliot (aka Mary Anne Evans) quote: “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” Through failed attempts, I’ve learned that there is no way to actually achieve successive autumns. The closest thing I’ve found to never-ending fall is the Willamette Valley—which oozes autumnal charm year round. So, I’ve created my own eternal harvest and started stocking up on my favorite wines from the region. There’s always a crisp Oregon Chardonnay or a wild, untamed Pinot Noir within grasp when I want to be reminded of pumpkins and apple picking. One of the most exciting producers coming out of the Willamette Valley right now is Walter Scott. Start a conversation about Oregon’s next generation of Pinot producers and Walter Scott is one winery name that will come up over and over again. This is the winery of husband and wife team Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon. They both have tons of industry experience, he on the winemaking/sales side (stints at St. Innocent, Patty Green, Evening Land), she on the restaurant/somm side. Nestled in the hills of Eola-Amity Hills AVA, the winery began in 2009, but it’s only in the past few years that the wines have escaped the clutches of the winery mailing list and the state of Oregon. A lot of the early buzz came from positive press from exacting publications like Tanzer’s IWC and Burghound. Then the excellent wine writer Neal Martin arrived in 2015 to write about Oregon for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and the buzz turned into a roar, thanks to these (excerpted) notes: When I am asked if there were any "great discoveries" in Oregon, I would mention "Walter Scott Wines" without hesitation. This is a small bijou operation run by Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon and their story is one of essentially risking everything to pursue their dream. If their wines are of this quality, then their sacrifices have been worthwhile - good news for baby Lucy who joined us for the tasting (though her only comment about the wines was the odd dribble)… My excitement was hidden behind my stoic facade, though I think little Lucy saw straight through it. Here were wines with great precision and poise, wines that embraced the opulence of the 2012 vintage but hammered any excesses down with a prudent approach in the winery. The modest acidification ensured that these wines feel natural and refined, the kind of wines that I would take home to drink following a hard day's tasting. With two partners coming on board, and presumably steadying what can be a financially precarious venture when starting out, things look bright for Walter Scott Wines. Pick up the phone and try them yourself. Because these are supremely difficult to source outside of of their home state, we usually get one shot per year on ordering. Please don’t count on much reorder potential. La Combe Verte, which means the Green Fault or Valley, is Walter Scott’s entry level cuvée but don’t let that fool you. Ken and Erica are just as passionate about their Willamette blends as they are the single vineyard selections. In their own words: “Famed Burgundy importer Becky Wasserman was once quoted in Wine Spectator saying, “You can always judge a great Domaine by the quality of their Bourgogne bottling.” These are words we LIVE by. At Walter Scott, we put the same care and attention to detail into our two Willamette Valley wines as we do our single vineyard selections. The La Combe Verte bottlings are the foundation for every choice we make in the winery, directly reflecting our reputation, philosophy, and lifestyle. La Combe Verte Chardonnay was built from a deeply set belief in the varietal and its potential in Oregon. It’s clear from the couple’s own words that they has a passion and respect for Burgundy—and understand the influence Burgundy has on the region they call home. However, the goal of Walter Scott was never to replicate what has been done elsewhere. The goal is to create a distinctive style, a compelling voice that accurately represents the grapes being grown and the region they are grown in. This wine is a blend that comes from six vineyards in the Willamette Valley, all fermented with native yeast, aged in oak (20% new) for 10 months, and put through full malolactic fermentation. Clocking in at 13% listed alcohol, the wine opens with a nose full of lemon-lime citrus, green apple, fennel fronds, and soft florals. It’s bright and aromatic. Minerality leads from the nose to the palate, providing a racy mouthfeel and finish surrounded by orchard fruit and lemon pith. This bottle would pair perfectly with one of my favorite fall food traditions: the weekly whole chicken roasted with potatoes, lemon, fennel, and carrots.