The Wine

In Greek Mythology, the god Aeolus was the divine keeper of the winds, holding them safely inside his isle, and releasing them only at the command of the greatest gods. Famously, in The Odyssey, Aeolus presents Odysseus with a bag containing all of the winds and then stirs up a westerly wind to guide Odysseus and his crew home. Oregon settlers noticed the powerful, predictable wind blowing from the ocean and gusting over the hills they were homesteading. The myth of Aeolus and his winds inspired the pioneers to name the area Eola in honor of the god of wind. Today, the wind-swept area known as the Eola-Amity Hills produces Chardonnay with a tension and precision attributed to these inevitable currents. The juxtaposition of opulence and power in the High Wire vines of Bethel Heights pairs perfectly with the exotic electricity of the X Novo fruit. This wine highlights the purity brought by the coastal winds, with brilliant acidity balancing quiet power. The God of Wind is a collaboration wine between Bethel Heights and Walter Scott. It is an example of how Chardonnay is thriving in the Eola-Amity Hills and commanding the attention of the world.

The WIneries

Bethel Heights was established in 1977 in the Eola-Amity Hills by Ted Casteel, Terry Casteel, Pat Dudley and Marilyn Webb. In 2006 Ben Casteel, son of Terry and Marilyn, took over from his father as winemaker. Over the last forty years Bethel Heights has grown and evolved, but the original fifty acres of own-rooted Pinot noir and Chardonnay vines planted in the 1970s continue to provide the backbone of our estate-grown wines. Gnarly old vines, geologically complex hillside soils and direct impact from Æolian winds all conspire to create highly energized wines with depth of character and distinctive personalities.

For husband-and-wife team of Erica Landon and Ken Pahlow, 2008 marked the launch of their dream: the formation of Walter Scott. In the spring of that year the two partners emptied their meager retirement accounts and used the funds to get started. Their first vintage was produced at Patricia Green Cellars, followed by two vintages at Evening Land where they worked alongside Dominique Lafon and began making Chardonnay, which has contributed significantly to their production. Today, Walter Scott has found a home in the Eola-Amity Hills and has earned a position among the great producers of Pinot noir and Chardonnay.

The Eola-Amity Hills AVA is the epicenter of Chardonnay in the Willamette Valley, making this partnership between neighboring wineries Bethel Heights and Walter Scott a perfect match. Proximity initially blossomed the friendship between Bethel Heights and Walter Scott, but it is winemaking philosophy and a sense of community that has solidified their relationship. Both winemakers, Ben Casteel and Ken Pahlow, are driven by their visions of Chardonnay in a region to which they are devoted.

All wine is sold FOB the location of the winery that produced the lot purchased. WVWA is not responsible for shipping wine. Shipping or delivery arrangements, expenses and insurance are the sole responsibility of the purchaser. Any shipment of wines out-of-state is the responsibility of the purchaser, who is solely responsible for compliance with the laws and regulations of said state.

The producing winery currently has distribution in the below listed countries and states. A list of distributors is available upon request.

CA: AB, BC, ON, QC

DK

UK

USA: AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MA, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VT, WA, WI