We have a shared vision of Willamette Valley Chardonnay with Walter Scott; we've all been early and vocal proponents of the grape's potential here. Their Chardonnays are the realization of that potential, and it all begins with La Combe Verte. Beautifully generous fruit, complexity and structure, you get it all. Now, time to get it. - Marcus
Our approach to Chardonnay pays attention to texture and structure, translating site and vintage. The La Combe Verte is fermented with 100% ambient yeast and full malolactic conversion in large barrels with very little bâtonnage. The wine is lightly fined and filtered prior to bottling to brighten aromatics and give us a polished finish. The result is an illuminating style of chardonnay, showcasing density and precision. The palate spotlights evolving layers of textures which follow the classic aromatic notes of lemon zest, honeycrisp apple and white flowers, with the finish offering a subtle mineral and saline character.
Vineyards:
Black Walnut, Dundee Hills AVA
Freedom Hill, Willamette Valley AVA
Justice, Eola-Amity Hills AVA
Koosah, Eola-Amity Hills AVA
Sojeau, Eola-Amity Hills AVA
X Saxa, Eola-Amity Hills AVA
2015 vintage note:
The most complex and complete $25 Chardonnay from Oregon...and perhaps the most thirst quenching. Tangerine and peach come together with flint and white flowers, gliding on the perfectly rich yet wonderfully refreshing body. If you like classic Chardonnay and don't buy some of this then, well, you're on your own. Made from Clos des Oiseaux, Eola Springs, Freedom Hill, X Novo and Vojtilla Vineyards (the Walter Scott Chardonnay program). - Marcus
We've been waiting for this wine. Like two men walking through a desert, it's an oasis for thirsty Chardonnay drinkers. It has been a "dry" year for Oregon Chardonnay, particularly at the sub-$25 price, with only a handful achieving our standards and many leaving us shaking our heads ($40 for this?!).
Ken Pahlow is one of a handful of Oregon winemakers who truly get Chardonnay. His self-described style is "classic," unquestionably more Burgundy than California. The 2015 LCV Chard is aromatic, mouthwatering, and fresh with a perfect feel to it -- the texture and weight makes it glide through your senses.
2012 vintage note:
This might as well have "drink me" on the label. Honeysuckle and citrus waft from the glass leading to a generous body of white peach and a polished, mineral finish. - Andy
The 2012 vintage is 20% Bieze Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills AVA; 80% Freedom Hill Vineyard, Willamette Valley AVA.
2011 vintage note:
An electric quality on the nose that makes me sit on the edge of my seat. Lemon curd, Gold-Rush apples (an heirloom variety we’re getting locally – an amazing combo of sweet, tart, and spicy!), and key lime. A silly-good Chardonnay, and silly-limited!- Marcus
A blend of the Bieze and Vojtilla Vineyards, made with a lighter touch resulting in a leaner, brighter style of Chardonnay.
The Vojtilla Vineyard is a 22 year old vineyard on Ladd Hill in the Chehalem Mountains, the Chardonnay off of this site is incredibly linear and bright. We fermented and aged the juice in a Neutral Puncheon for 12 months and then an additional 3 month is neutral oak barrels.
The Bieze Vineyard sits directly above the Seven Springs Vineyard on Lone Star Road and shares a fence line with it. It is a breathtaking vineyard situated on shallow clay over fractured basalt rock. The top soils are thinner and the aspect is due East. It is a perfect little vineyard that we are honored to be working with. - the winery