Walter Scott Pinot Blanc Fir Crest Vineyard 2025
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The Land
Fir Crest Vineyard is best known for Pinot Noir, but some of its oldest vines are white. The site sits at the far southwestern edge of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA in the Coast Range foothills, first planted in 1985. The south- and southeast-facing slope runs from 230 to 400 feet on Goodin and Melbourne series silty clay loam, the ancient marine sediments that define Yamhill-Carlton. Those soils drain fast and keep the vines lean. Tall Coast Douglas firs ring the vineyard, so it feels like a forest clearing. The Coast Range throws a rain shadow over the AVA, which helps fruit ripen fully through the fall. The result is a white wine from Yamhill-Carlton with real texture and mineral cut.
The Wine
The Walter Scott Fir Crest Vineyard Blanc 2025 is a white blend drawn from the vineyard's original own-rooted plantings of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Auxerrois. The wine is fermented and aged about nine months in 500-liter barrels, with no new oak, then finished for a month in stainless steel before bottling. The large, neutral barrels add weight and a creamy texture without wood flavor, and the stainless finish keeps the fruit taut. Recent vintages have shown yellow and orange citrus, green pear, chamomile and a wet-stone edge, a round, textured middle and a fresh, mouthwatering finish. Production is small, around 325 cases. The 2025 season was warm and steady, with a dry winter, a short bloom that trimmed yields and an early harvest of clean fruit.
The People
Walter Scott is Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon, based in the Eola-Amity Hills. Ken spent 14 years at St. Innocent and worked at Evening Land with Dominique Lafon, and Erica built her career as a sommelier and wine educator. They put their savings into the business at the end of the 2000s and now make wine in leased space at Bethel Heights. The name honors Ken's grandfather Walter, a TWA flight engineer, and his nephew Scott. They are best known for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and Fir Crest applies the same barrel work to less famous grapes. Robert and Karin Moshier have owned and managed Fir Crest since 2020, and the vineyard has been farmed sustainably since it was planted.
Food Pairing
This white has the body for a real meal. Pan-sear scallops in brown butter with a squeeze of lemon and let the acid cut the richness. Dungeness crab cakes with a lemony aioli work with the citrus and the wine's salty edge. A roast chicken with fennel and shallots underneath picks up the pear and chamomile. Or make a tarte flambée with crème fraîche, onions and bacon, Alsace style, since these are Alsace grapes. This is the bottle for the nights when Chardonnay feels too obvious and you want something a little off the beaten path.
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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.
