Arterberry Maresh Chardonnay 2018: Oregon's Best

At first the Arterberry Maresh Chardonnay 2018 was locked up, with a touch of reduction on the nose. A few hours later, after a long stint in a decanter, a different wine was sitting in my glass. An Oregon Chardonnay that stands up to Burgundy.

Best of Wines sent me this bottle, together with the house’s Pinot Noir 2021.

Old vines on red soil

Maresh Vineyard lies in the Dundee Hills, in the Willamette Valley, at 150 to 250 metres. It’s one of the oldest vineyards in the valley. Winemaker Jim Maresh Jr.’s grandfather planted the first Pinot Noir there in 1970. The Chardonnay block for this wine followed in 1983.

The soil is Jory: red, ancient volcanic ground, rich in iron oxide and free-draining. Cool Pacific air comes in through the Van Duzer Corridor and keeps the acidity in the grapes. That cool climate is exactly what earns Oregon its comparison with Burgundy.

What Jim Maresh Jr. does, and doesn’t do

He keeps intervention to a minimum. No herbicides, and dry farming: without irrigation, the roots have to dig deeper for water. The wine ferments and ages in neutral oak barrels, which give off little wood flavour, so the vineyard does the talking. And the wines get bottle age before they leave the cellar.

Arterberry Maresh 2018 Chardonnay bottle from the Dundee Hills next to a glass of golden wine

Tasting Note

Appearance

Luminous pale gold.

Nose

Lemon and juicy white peach, a touch of green apple. Behind that, vanilla, roasted almond, butter, nutmeg, light yeast and scorched oak. A subtle mineral note, like wet stone after rain, and a whisper of flint.

Palate

Fresh and refined, with medium-plus acidity as its backbone. Ripe fruit with room to express itself, and a silky texture.

Finish

Focused and mineral, with lemon zest. It lingers.

Quality

Balance, purity and terroir. A few years in bottle have added complexity without costing it its freshness.

What to watch for

First, give it time. A Coravin and an aerator didn’t get me far. Only once I pulled the cork completely and left it a few hours in a decanter did the reduction fade and the wine open up. Pour it straight from the bottle and you won’t taste what’s in there.

Second, the oak. The wine ages in neutral barrels, yet my note has vanilla and scorched oak. That’s a lot of oak for neutral wood. If you want a taut Chardonnay with no oak showing, you’ll get more than the method suggests.

I didn’t note the price. Check Best of Wines and compare before you buy.

Man in sunglasses smelling a glass of white wine while holding a bottle of Arterberry Maresh in a garden

At the table

Versatile. Grilled halibut with lemon beurre blanc, or a creamy mushroom risotto. Serve it lightly chilled in a Burgundy glass, after that time in the decanter, so the layers unfold gradually.

My verdict

The Arterberry Maresh 2018 shows what old vines on red Jory soil do with Chardonnay: pure, mineral and long. An Oregon wine to put next to a good Burgundy. As long as you give it time.

Producer: Arterberry Maresh, Dundee Hills
Wine: Chardonnay Maresh Vineyard
Vintage: 2018
Region: Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Grape: Chardonnay
Vineyard: 1983 block, Jory soil, 150-250 m
Viticulture: Dry farmed, no herbicides
Winemaking: Fermented and aged in neutral oak

More information and ordering: Best of Wines

Sources

My own tasting note, see also my Arterberry Maresh profile
Oregon Wine Board: oregonwine.org