I was introduced to the dynamic husband and wife duo Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon behind Walter Scott Wines several years ago during my first coverage of IPNC. I met with the down-to-earth couple on the Linfield University campus before visiting their modest winery in Salem, Oregon for a barrel tasting of recent vintages. I was unfamiliar with their wines, but quickly understood the trajectory of the quality and craftsmanship behind their wines that would make them trendsetters in defining single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Willamette Valley.

The Sojeau Vineyard, thoughtfully cultivated by Denny and Thelma Peseau, is nestled on the southern end of the Eola-Amity Hills, facing southwest, directly towards the Van Duzer Corridor. At 650 feet in elevation, the site overlooks the valley and surrounding farmlands from its perch on the steep hill. This aspect makes Sojeau one of the coolest sites, with acidity and aromatics favorably intensified by the intense coastal winds. The 15-acre planting of Pinot Noir is divided into two blocks from which they get 20 rows in a cross-section, allowing them to share the full potential of Sojeau’s clonal depth and soil diversity. 

In the glass, the 2022 Walter Scott Sojeau Vineyard Pinot Noir shines with a vivid, translucent garnet core, bordered by slight ruby edges that signal its youth and potential for aging. There are candied black raspberry and cherry tart flavors interwoven with finely crushed stones along with earth-driven undertones. A faint, smoky undercurrent melds seamlessly with the more familiar notes of bay leaves, thyme and well-integrated spices. Texturally, the wine is a study in elegance. The tannins are remarkably fine, almost imperceptible, yet they provide the necessary scaffolding for the wine’s more delicate components. The light and mouthwatering acidity maintain balance while suggesting that this sophisticated wine has a long life ahead.

By W Peter Hoyne