99.99/94.99 6+ (code: 6saves5)

95 pts Vinous (2022 score, 2023 not yet rated)
The 2022 Chardonnay X Novo Vineyard is rich, wafting up with a confectionary sweetness balanced by hints of crushed stone and peach sorbet. It’s silky and round with medium-bodied weight and vividly ripe orchard fruits, all guided by juicy acidity. The 2022 is weightier and more concentrated than expected, yet with an energy and mineral intensity to balance, leaving a salty flourish and silty tannins to linger on.
- By Eric Guido on May 2024

Note from Vineyard:
In 2010, esteemed winemaker Craig Williams ventured to Oregon with his family and a bold vision for establishing vineyards of unparalleled quality. The Williams’ made a significant impact by cultivating two distinct sites in the Eola-Amity Hills, X Novo and X Omni.

X Novo stands out with a remarkably diverse 20 clones of Chardonnay, intricately woven and densely spaced within the 2-acre block. Situated in the coveted Spring Valley of the southern Eola-Amity, X Novo occupies the edge of the Holmes Gap, where the invigorating Van Duzer winds sweep through the undulating hills. This unique site reveals exceptionally rocky Gelderman clays, intensifying concentration of its wine. In 2021, an adjacent 20-acre plot of land consisting of existing older vines and cultivable land was acquired and integrated into the original site. Walter Scott sources the entirety of the original plantings, harvesting them at the same time and co-fermenting the block in order to show the complexity possible with this diverse crop.

X Novo Chardonnay is both exotic and compelling, offering an aromatic journey of golden rose, jasmine, citrus blossom, and caramelized Meyer lemon, seamlessly layered with the sharp edge of steely flint. The palate is a masterclass in balance and intensity, revealing vibrant notes of lemongrass, ripe Mirabelle plum, candied citrus, and the creamy allure of passionfruit curd. A mineral-driven backbone of wet stone adds depth, leading to a saline, irresistibly mouthwatering finish that lingers elegantly