2019 Walter Scott - Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard

After a string of warm, dry vintages from 2014–2018, the 2019 vintage was a return to a classic growing season in the Willamette Valley, defined by cooler temperatures and rain in July and September. Re-tasting the 2019 Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard, I remain convinced that the 2019s are a step above the 2021s—another cool, wet year that offered consistently high-quality wines yet offers a touch less definition and magic than the 2019s. This is the haute couture of the vertical, boasting pure, complex scents of peach complemented by nuances of candle smoke, marzipan, honey, acacia and spice. The palate balances deeply concentrated flavors with shimmery acidity and a luxuriously satiny texture, and it has a hauntingly long finish redolent of ginger and honey. Singular, expressive and youthful, it has a long life ahead.