Jim Maresh doesn't just make incredibly delicious, detailed, and defined Pinot Noirs, he also has quite the touch with Chardonnay. His 2022 Petite Tan Fruit Chardonnay is one of the great values of its type produced in our country, and it throws some serious White Burgundy vibes.
In the words of Jim Maresh, one of our country's greatest vignerons, "You don't have to think about it. I can drink a glass a day, sometimes out of a water glass with an ice cube, and ease my mind." He's a bit too humble in my opinion, as this 90-pointer (Vinous and Wine Advocate) isn't quite as simple as that.
A blend of grapes from Oregon (Willamette and Umpqua) and Washington (Columbia Valley), it is Maresh's "ode to a Petit Chablis," and it is excellent. We snagged 7 cases (84 bottles) from our distributor, and we're running a great deal on it.
2022 Tan Fruit 'Petite' Chardonnay
90 points Vinous Media, 90 points Wine Advocate
On Deal: $19.99/bottle and 20% off -- no further discounts
Regular Price: $24.99/bottle
Tan Fruit is the new project of Jim Maresh, the winemaker behind some of the most exciting Chardonnays being produced in the Willamette Valley. Founded in 2019, Maresh makes a number of highly-acclaimed wines under this label with fruit he buys from vineyards and growers he deems exciting. Since launching in 2019, the Tan Fruit Chards have been very well-received by wine lovers and critics.
With his Petite Tan Fruit Chardonnay, Jim is giving consumers a great introduction to the "house style." Fermentation and maturation occur in stainless steel with native yeasts, and this no-fuss approach to winemaking is Jim's signature style. His philosophy that great wine is made in the vineyard with healthy and perfectly ripened fruit is alive and well in this wine just as much as it is in his Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, which is also on sale.
I spoke to Jim on the phone about this wine, and in typical Jim-fashion, he totally under-spoke. "This is what I drink at home after a long day in the vineyard, it's tank fermented and bone dry. I find it to be totally crushable." Classic Jim as that's all he would tell me about the wine. I asked him about fruit sources for this one, and he told me to just enjoy the wine : ) This guy kind of reminds me of some of the vignerons I've met in Burgundy, and his wines do too!
It pours a pale yellow color and despite its light body, it is quite concentrated and layered. I pick up aromas of crushed rock, marzipan, pear, and savory herb on the juicy, crisp, and long palate. Erin Brooks of the Wine Advocate summarized it quite well:
"The light-bodied palate balances a concentrated core of stone fruit with bright, gently tangy acidity, and it has a long, nutty finish. A great value and introduction to Oregon Chardonnay, I suspect it will show up on savvy sommeliers' by-the-glass lists. Drink 2025 through 2030."
I wish there was more than 7 cases to be had, but that was all I could get. If you love White Burgundies in the vein of Saint-Veran or Chablis, you will be in love with this wine. Enjoy on a sunny day in a wine glass....or a water glass on the rocks, like Jim does.
