2021 Tan Fruit - Chardonnay Willamette Valley Tank Fruit (750ml)

Tan Fruit is the personal project of Jim Maresh, the respected winemaker behind Arterberry Maresh, one of Oregon's most historic wine families. While the family estate stays focused on its own vineyard, Tan Fruit gives Maresh room to experiment with fruit from beyond the property, working in tiny volumes, often just a handful of barrels per site, to explore new expressions of cool-climate Chardonnay while staying true to the region's character.

The Tank Fruit bottling draws primarily on grapes from White Walnut Vineyard, a young planting in the Dundee Hills established around 2015, blended with fruit from sites in the Eola-Amity Hills. This pairing of two distinct hillside terroirs gives the wine a layered sense of place. Its name reflects an unusual path through the cellar: the wine spends time fermenting and resting in stainless steel tank before moving into oak, a sequence designed to lock in freshness early while slowly building richer texture as it matures.

The nose offers peach, fruit cocktail, and lemongrass, accented by spice, orange oil, and a touch of flint. The palate is medium-bodied and satiny, gaining weight and intensity as it moves across the tongue before finishing long, with bright, persistent acidity balancing the wine's creamier undertones. This structure and richness make it a strong match for buttered lobster, roasted Dungeness crab, or a simple dish of pan-seared trout.