The 2022 Tan Fruit Dupee Chardonnay offers a sophisticated expression of Oregon's Willamette Valley terroir, with the McMinnville AVA imparting a distinct character to this vintage. Crafted by Jim Maresh, this Chardonnay is sourced from the Dupee Vineyard, which is planted with the Mt Eden clone. The wine is characterized by its unique soil-driven personality, a result of the vineyard's red soils and Maresh's approach to winemaking.
Decanter awarded this wine an impressive score of 96, highlighting its bright lemon drop candy aromatics, oyster shells, and savory herbs. The wine is described as having a "compelling" palate with a linear throughline of flinty minerality, smoky lemon peel, and white pepper. Maresh's philosophy of achieving bone dryness lends the wine real tension and freshness, aiming for a refreshing experience akin to "ice cold" beer, a sentiment he believes wine should reclaim.
James Suckling gave the wine a score of 94, noting its aromatic and inviting nose of blanched almonds, lemons, caramel, and hints of crushed stones. The medium-bodied wine is praised for its crisp acidity and lively, succulent core of lemons, offering a flavorful, mouthwatering finish that is both persistent and compact.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate also rated it 94, emphasizing its youthful flinty character and alluring scents of white peach, brioche, and meringue. The Chardonnay's light-bodied palate features dynamic flavors of ripe citrus, saline, honey, and nuts, structured by tense, linear acidity and a long, mineral-driven finish.
Vinous provided a score of 93, appreciating the wine's textural thrill and balance of ripe orchard fruits with tantalizing acidity. The Chardonnay leaves a caking of minerality that fades to a lemony concentration, described as a wine of contrasts that invites repeated sips.
Overall, the 2022 Tan Fruit Dupee Chardonnay is a well-received, dynamic wine that demonstrates the potential of Oregon's Chardonnay vineyards.