2022 Tan Fruit ‘Petite Tan Fruit’ Chardonnay Willamette Valley

WA90 Second-generation winegrower Jim Maresh’s “ode to Petit Chablis,” this new 2022 Petite Chardonnay from Tan Fruit is meant for casual, early drinking. Grapes are sourced from the Willamette, Umpqua and Columbia Valley appellations, and it contains some Washington fruit (30%). It was matured for 10 months in stainless steel and bottled under screw cap. “There needs to be wine like this,” Jim says emphatically. “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.” The Petite Chardonnay has soft aromas of flint, marzipan and fresh bread accenting a core of white peach. 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.
VIN90 The 2022 Chardonnay Petite Tan Fruit is perfumed with notes of young peach, crushed stones and savory herbs. It’s silky-smooth with hints of citrus and white pit fruits, decidedly savory, with a saline mineral tinge that forms toward the close. It finishes crisply refreshing yet long and potent, leaving a spicy touch.