Walter Scott Freedom Hill Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, USA 2024

A compelling single-vineyard Chardonnay from Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon of Walter Scott, one of Oregon’s benchmark producers for site-driven white wines. Established in 1981 on the southeast slopes of an ancient uplifted seabed, Freedom Hill Vineyard produces Chardonnay with remarkable concentration, tension and mineral character. The 2024 vintage opens with aromas of tangerine blossom, Meyer lemon and grilled citrus, layered with wet stone, flint and a subtle savory, sea-spray note. The palate is dense yet precise, balancing ripe peach and citrus with razor-sharp acidity, a chalky texture and a long, saline finish. Fermented with native yeasts and aged in French oak, this is a beautifully structured, age worthy Chardonnay that brings Burgundy like intensity and finesse to Oregon’s distinctive terroir.

"Pouring a bright yellow color with green flecks, the 2024 Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard has focused reduction on the nose and is once again one of my favorites. Green apple, flint, lime zest, lemon verbena, and fresh jasmine lead into a medium to full-bodied palate that is brilliant, refreshing, pure, and beautifully structured. It just gets better and better in the glass. This feels capable of lasting for decades." Jeb Dunnuck 98