Or you could pay same price or MORE for overcropped, village level white burg…
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secret.
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Well, look who crawled out from under a rock! Come up to the Brewery and drink some beer!
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Yeah, yeah, I know. Was checking in today while Erica as the ‘business’ was watching all the lots and commenting on our fun ‘photos’
I’ll get up to the brewery soon as I have only ONE can of pils left from the last round of flats. I’ll also try to be better about chiming in on some of these conversations. As crazy as the world of wine is and the world in general there are some awesome things happening in the world of wine and wine growing as well.
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2021 Morgen Long Willamette Valley
This certainly outperforms its appellation level designation. This wine has come together really nicely over the last year and is showing pretty well.
On the nose this leads with zingy citrus of the lemon, lime and mandarin orange persuasion, some underripe pineapple, white pepper, a touch of fresh mild yogurt, and a bit of toasty popcorn reduction. On the palate the wine is quite intense with searing acidity and a moderate plus body, the texture is well on its way to a nice waxy sheen and the finish is impressive. Despite the smooth texture there is some real chalky grip here. The flavors on the palate largely follow the nose but perhaps emphasize the more electric side of the citrus profile. This was never a super reductive wine but what reductive signature there was has receded and now shows as one among many in the flavor profile. I assume this saw a good amount of new oak as with most of Seth’s wines but, as with most of Seth’s wines, the oak is much more perceptible texturally than it is on the nose or palate. Not that there is no perceptible oak here but compared to (random examples) Nicolas Jay or for that matter Jadot white burgs, the oak impact on the flavor does not stand out.
Very nice stuff, as always the price point makes this tough for me to enthusiastically repurchase - about the same amount as this base WV blend gets you into the White Walnut Estate estate wines, and this is more expensive than any Goodfellow chard save Richard’s and the odd named barrel cuvee. Only $20 more gets you into most of the Walter Scott svd’s other than X-Novo. Always the pickle with Seth’s excellent wines.
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2023 White Walnut Estate Apple Field Vineyard Chardonnay
This is very good, though I think some time in bottle will improve the wine. The wine is quite reductive right now with lots of gunpowder, flint, and steel. The impression overall is similar to Chablis raised in wood (though of course the wine went through malolactic). In addition to reductive tones there are still perfumey florals on the nose. The wine has a light medium body and fairly high acidity. There is some tropical and stone fruit character to the wine but the overall impression is primarily quite chalky and stony, non fruit elements dominate right now.
As with prior tasting, the wine finishes very long with a beautiful toasted hazelnut and almond flavor that is totally unique. So distinctive and intense.
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2022 Lingua Franca Estate
Has always been one of my favorites. Flinty reduction, citrus, long finish. Drank it with bread and cheese after a Mullineux Old Vines White.
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Apparently it’s a Chardonnay heavy weekend.
2023 Violin Willamette Valley Chardonnay
Didn’t like it at first, too cold, felt weirdly buttery, couldn’t hold up to spicy Ethiopian food at all. Warmed up, opened up, more acid, more citrus/green apple, liked it far more at cellar temp vs fridge. Would like to drink again with a simple white fish.
2023 Buena Notte Panna Cotta
This is what you want with spicy Ethiopian beef and lentils. Savory, funky, oxidative, I liked it far more with this food than I have previously.
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Any reports from the Chardonnay Celebration this weekend? Thanks.
James
2019 Eyrie “The Eyrie” Chard
From the original ‘68 block at the Eyrie vineyard. Needs an hour and a half of air to come together.
Once it does, on the nose you get quince, guava, yellow apple, white flowers.
On the palate guava candy, quince, lemon, fruit tone is basically golden and a bit sweet tasting but there is a strong acid and mineral backbone. There is some floral nuance and it finishes with moderate length.
On the whole a nice wine in a more old school/non “New Oregon Chardonnay” style.
2023 Walter Scott Koosah Vyd Chard
Needs some air time to ameliorate what is on pop and pour fairly domineering reduction.
After an hour and change the wine shows plenty of reduction still, of the Walter Scott trademark burnt sesame variety, with limey citrus and citrus blossom.
On the palate the wine is tense, taut and mineral with loads of chalky grip. The overall impression is more silver toned than golden. The wine has puckering acidity and finishes pretty long. The flavors largely follow the nose with emphasis on green citrus, toasted sesame, salty minerals, a bit of yogurt, and a long toasted hazelnut finish.
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“More silver toned than golden.” That’s a good way to put it. I can’t speak for KP and Erica but, I definitely prefer to pick at the point the flavors seem more silver toned.
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Stole the concept directly from you, because I thought it was a perfect way to categorize chardonnay fruit tones. One of those things that just clicks even though it doesn’t really make a ton of sense - sure golden fruit, but what is silver fruit? But it just works…
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On day 3 this is still showing beautifully, with the reductive flavors more integrated and more fruit tones, emphasizing lime and barely ripe pineapple, poking through. Excellent wine.
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A 1993 Eyrie (reconditioned at the estate) was drinking extremely well with plenty of life left in it.
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Curious on the tasting notes - any level of oxidation?
Some nuttiness and honey, but no more than would be expected from a Chardonnay of this age, and no maderization and ample fruit and acidity to tie it together.
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I visited there pre-Covid and they were offering David Lett era Chards (80s-90s) for $200+. I got a small taste of one, but didn’t feel compelled to pull the trigger.
Audeant is a smallish producer in the Willamette Valley that makes really good Pinot noir and Chardonnay. This is a 2021 from seven Springs vineyard. Still young. Good acid. Bright fruit. Lovely finish. I always enjoy a bottle from them. This is with a mustard chicken and cut through the sauce like a champ. Compliments but clears the palate.
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Curious experience yesterday. Opened up a 23 White Walnut Chardonnay., and it seemed to get more reductive with air versus on open. in my head for some reason, I thought the opposite was usually true.
layered wine, long finish and very complex. smoking good deal especially at that price point. Way too young, but that was my first try at White Walnut.