Walter Scott Chardonnay X Novo Vineyard 2024
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The Land
X Novo sits in the Spring Valley of the southern Eola-Amity Hills, right at the Holmes Gap where the Van Duzer winds funnel through from the Pacific. The east-facing exposure softens the AVA's characteristic intensity while preserving its acidity. The soils are exceptionally rocky Gelderman clay, well-draining and stressful for the vine in a productive way. The site was planted in 2010 by Craig Williams, a California Cabernet specialist who came to Oregon and assembled one of its most unusual Chardonnay blocks: 15 different clones co-planted in a tiny, densely spaced parcel, harvested and fermented together. The Van Duzer influence here is relentless — cool, steady, and essential to keeping the malic acid intact and pH low through a long, slow ripening season.
The Wine
100% Chardonnay from 15 clones co-fermented from a single block. Ken picks on pH rather than sugar, farming for low yields and deliberately low malic content — the goal is physiological ripeness at low potential alcohol, not the other way around. Whole-cluster pressed, briefly settled, then transferred to barrel gross lees and all. Rather than racking the solids off before fermentation, Ken deliberately carries them in, where they build early texture and drive the reductive character he cultivates. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in a mix of new and neutral 500-liter and 350-liter barrels, minimal bâtonnage, 100% malolactic fermentation. Eleven months in barrel, then three months in stainless steel. The reductive winemaking is intentional: a smoky, flinty quality threads through citrus pith, white peach, almond, and wet stone, with a saline, mineral finish that lingers. One of Oregon's most distinctive Chardonnays.
The People
Walter Scott was founded in 2008 by Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon, who poured their savings into the project while borrowing cellar space from Patricia Green and later Evening Land, where Ken worked alongside Dominique Lafon. That Burgundian apprenticeship crystallized his approach to Chardonnay: pick early, chase pH not Brix, farm for stress and concentration rather than yield, and let the reductive environment build complexity in the barrel. The name honors Ken's grandfather Walter, a TWA flight engineer who embodied ambition without limits, and his nephew Scott, who died young and taught Ken not to defer what matters. Imported by Grand Cru Selections.
Food Pairing
X Novo's mineral structure and smoky complexity call for food with some weight. Pan-roasted halibut with beurre blanc, chicken under a brick with lemon and herbs, a creamy mushroom pasta with Parmesan, or aged Comté with marcona almonds. A Chardonnay you'll want to bring out for the right occasion — and that will still be interesting three to five years from now.
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Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
The Willamette Valley, nestled in Oregon, is a region renowned for its cool-climate wines, particularly its Pinot Noir. While Pinot Noir is its most celebrated variety, the valley is also home to other cool climate varieties like Chardonnay and Riesling. The region's unique terroir, characterized by rolling hills, volcanic and sedimentary soils, and a maritime climate influence, contributes to the elegance and complexity of its wines. The wines of the Willamette Valley offer a delicate balance between fruit, acidity, and earthiness. Its increasingly growing reputation places it among the world’s top regions for Pinot Noir.
Oregon - Willamette Valley
Chardonnay, one of the world's most versatile and beloved white grape varieties, showcases a remarkable spectrum of styles, from the lean, mineral-driven expressions of Chablis in France to the rich, buttery, and oak-aged versions from California's Napa Valley. Its adaptability extends to cooler climates such as Burgundy, where it achieves elegance and complexity, and to regions like Australia's Yarra Valley, known for producing vibrant and fruit-forward renditions. This grape's ability to reflect its terroir, coupled with winemaking techniques, results in a wide array of profiles, including unoaked, crisp varieties with apple and citrus notes, to full-bodied wines with tropical fruit flavors and creamy textures.
