Koosah vs. Koosah - A Comparative Study in Oregon Chardonnay

WINE TALK
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Our monthly tasting group at Domaine STL got together yesterday for the first time after taking a summer break. I decided to do a comparative study on two top OR chardonnay producers’ bottles from the same vintage and vineyard, with 2021 Walter Scott Chardonnay Koosah Vineyard and 2021 Morgen Long Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills (Seth’s E-O cuveé this vintage is 100% Koosah fruit). Both wines were splash decanted and followed over 3 hours.

Overall both wines were excellent, but clearly had some differences in style (Walter Scott more noticeable oak, for example, and Morgen Long more expressive and powerful without needing much air). I didn’t have a favorite but glad to have both in my cellar to follow long-term :slight_smile:

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2021 Walter Scott Chardonnay Koosah Vineyard

Compared to the Morgen Long, this really needs air to show at its best this young. Quiet on the initial pour, with just some subtle wisps of lime blossom and mint enveloped by barrel spice. A bit thin and flat on the palate at first as well, with some vague yellow apple, white peach, and gunpowder/flinty mineral notes. After an hour of air this turns into a very different wine, gaining tension and grip on the palate while remaining lithe in body. I particularly love the precision this develops, and the energy brought by the streak of refined acids that is already well-integrated. The orchard and stone fruit recede slightly as flavors of mint, jasmine, black tea, and aloe start to take center stage, with persistent flint minerality that lingers over a long finish.

This is an excellent chardonnay that requires a little patience to fully appreciate this young. It is precise and understated, and will reward time in the cellar.

2021 Morgen Long Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills

This wine has a complex nose of hazelnut, seabreeze, mint tea, mandarin orange, and lemon peel from the start. Medium-bodied but expansive on the palate, with brisk acidity nicely balanced by a silky/creamy texture. This wine has more oomph to it compared to some of Seth’s other bottlings, including X-Omni, with tremendous dry extract and dense flavors of lime blossom, minty herbs, aloe, and fine flinty minerals that linger over a long finish.

This is a lovely chardonnay and all the right components are there. I think it needs a bit more time to integrate and settle down, and it wouldn’t surprise me if this becomes a long-term ager.

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Great idea, great notes, case study in how meaningless points can be.
Thanks for posting-

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Yes, really good notes and an interesting comparison! I wouldn’t have minded your calling out your own personal favorite, but from the notes perhaps both need more time before that judgment can be made.

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FWIW, for my notes on CT I gave them both 95 points haha.

I enjoyed them both very much, and there were mixed opinions from the group on favorites. I think the Walter Scott took the edge yesterday once it had enough air, as it was better integrated, but I think the Morgen Long will get more interesting over time.

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Phenomenal notes, Brian. Through Brian’s warm welcome I was present at this event, though I showed up late.

For my palate and my nose the Morgen Long was lights out. Gorgeous flinty acidity, lean, linear, powerful. Exactly what I want in a white wine. When I made my way to the Walter Scott it was gorgeous on the palate and finish but there was a bit more richness/oak character on the nose than I would have preferred. Caveat being both wines were above my preferred serving temp (again, I was late!).

Both wines were very good and I would score them pretty similarly. Just comes down to a matter of preference. I’d be thrilled to have both wines in my cellar.

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Thanks Brian,

Great notes and a thoughtful idea to drink these together. Thanks for your insight. I really appreciate it. I loved the Morgen Long wine when I tried it. Thanks again!

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appreciate the side by side.

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I’m a fan of Morgen Long’s wines though he is a bit odd and we have half a case of it.

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Seth may be eccentric, but my god, that focus and intensity applied to Chardonnay results in some incredibly stunning wines. I can’t wait to do a head to head with his X-Omni and some quality white burg at my next wine club event.

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At my last wine club dinner I blinded X Omni and 7 of 7 all said White Burg. I think two specifically called Chablis I think. But all said WB confidently

Martin Woods makes a Koosah too. To be honest, I liked some MW wines, but his Koosah was one of my least fav Chards on my trip through OR and CA. When I tank sampled with Seth and he told me about the Koosah bottling my jaw was on the ground in comparison to the MW offering from the day before. He told me why he didn’t label the name prominently and all but I was shocked it was the same vineyard.

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Please post notes!

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Seth has the magic.

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I want some! Just signed up…

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Ditto - and being here in Oregon will plan a visit and tasting soon!

@Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r - thank you for the great post!

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Set aside plenty of time with Seth. When we visited we were there close to 3 hours tasting the 2021s in barrel and 2020s in tank awaiting bottling. Quite an educational experience.

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He does one release a year - right around first week of March

So if you want to try some look at retail options.

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Thanks for the post. I’ve tried both bottlings on separate occasions and felt that the wines were very similar. If anything, the differences were stylistic in nature. As I have more experience with Burgundy, I felt like the Walter Scott was similar in style to PYCM whereas Morgen Long was more like Roulot or De Montille. Both are excellent and well worth having in your cellar. For Koosah, I thought what really stood out is the density of the mid-palate. Whereas X-Novo and X-Omni are really linear. I’m actually curious to know what differences are between the different X vineyards…

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Agreed. Most winemakers are serious about making great wine. Seth is just on another level. He makes the others look like Dilettantes. :slight_smile: He is just such an interesting fellow and we always enjoy our visits with him.

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Thanks for the guidance - Brian, will do!