OREGON

CHARDONNAY

96 Walter Scott 2019 X-Novo Vineyard Chardonnay (Eola-Amity Hills). This offers palate-piercing flavors of bitter herb, lemon zest, grapefruit, apple and green melon. It’s compact and extremely youthful. The details and accents that lie within must be teased out with extra aeration. It’s aromatic and inviting, showing just a little of the impact of aging in some new barrels. The entire Walter Scott lineup of Chardonnays hews to a very specific style, and all are ageworthy. Drink this one after 2024, and it will still have another prime decade of life. —P.G.

abv: 13% Price: $85

This may be Walter Scott’s first Chardonnay from this vineyard. It’s dense and rich, marrying barrel toast and toffee to the tang of brisk acidity. Holding down the center is the immaculate and compact fruit, a zesty mix of citrus, apple, white peach and jicama. There are endless details and the. —P.G.