2017 Arterberry Maresh Chard

Just got an email offer on the 2017 Arterberry Maresh wines. Noticed their Maresh vineyard chard is $89. That seems both steep and a big jump from past vintage pricing. Anyone that can speak to the quality of this wine? Would like to try one, but that price is getting into rarefied air.

I’ve really enjoyed past vintages as I think Maresh is one of the best vineyards in OR and Jimmy has a deft hand with Chardonnay. But I stopped buying a few years ago when prices eclipsed $70/bottle.

That is not an indictment on the wine or a commentary on whether the wine is worth the asking price, but reflects my reality of having too much wine and finding better value in Oregon Chardonnay elsewhere. I’ll enjoy my remaining bottles of past vintages and be bummed when they’re all gone.

I’ve never had the Chardonnay.

The 2016 Old Vines Pinot Noir got a monster score from the WA - it was very light bodied, almost like a Rose [compared to the typical American PN], and its color reminded me of what Philippe Engel was doing around Vosne circa the mid-1990s [although without nearly the acid that Engel was achieving].

Again, though, I’ve never had the Chardonnay.

The price of the A-M Maresh Pinot has remained at $69/btl (same as last year).
Shipping used to be included in the price, however. Now there is a flat $25 shipping fee.
For me, as I generally buy just 3 bottles, that translates to about a $8 per bottle increase.
And at present time, there are no Dundee Hills bottles available to help me dilute the per bottle shipping costs.

Here’s my note on the 2015. They were having a special when I was at the Red Barn last year for $50 so I picked up a few. At $80 thats getting into something fairly expensive. Rhys, Ceritas, and PYCM can hit the price range and do buy those in small quantities…

But seriously I would buy Goodfellow Richard Cuvee and Walter Scott X-Novo over this for less money.

• 2015 Arterberry Maresh Chardonnay Maresh Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (8/10/2018)
  Stunning wine. Complex nose of minerals and tropical fruit with this just med soft complex palate of fruit, acid, and really subtle oak. To me this wine is way more AFWE than this producers Pinots. The finese, balance, the long finish make this wine. Retail price on this is lofty. Its not a QPR wine but its a worthy splurge. Paired with dumplings, smoked salmon spring rolls, and Vietnamese shrimp salad. PNP and pour at cellar temp. (95 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Sean, I’m guessing you don’t throw 95 scores around. That sounds like a damned good chard. I hear you on the goodfellow and have bought them, but I can’t find the Walter Scott. I hear you have to be part of Fu’s entourage to get access.

Scott, while you may have to be part of Fu’s entourage to get access to large formats, you can still buy almost all their current release Chards (and Pinots) direct. I did not check if they ship to your state. Hard to go wrong with any of their line-up. Ditto for Goodfellow’s Chards. EDIT TO ADD - Having drank a 2014 WS Vojtilla, 2016 WS Bunker Hill, 2016 Lingua Franca Bunker Hill, 2012 and 2013 Goodfellow Richard’s Cuvee in the last few days, all of which were stellar, it’s hard for me to justify spending $40-50 more for the Maresh even though it also stellar.

https://walterscottwines.orderport.net/wines/Current-Releases

I’m at the beach without a keyboard so I’ll try to keep it short, I could go on all day about Chardonnay it’s my thing.

The reason why the maresh chardonnay isn’t 70 or lower is because people would buy it all.

I cherish the vines and the chard that is produced from them. My mom planted them in 1983 while pregnant with me. 16 and 17 maresh chard is strictly from this 83 wente block I love and it only produces 100 cases a year. (14/15 had some maresh Dijon in the blend I’m not proud to admit)

I actually raised the price to 90 in the 16 vintage although by the time I was going to offer it I was already selling into what I was trying to set aside for my boy jimmys birth vintage.

It’s the only wine I make I don’t really like to sell. First vintage I made of it was the 2005 and it was a beauty. I think I made 50 cases took it Portland and poured for a wine bar that convinced me to glass pour it. White burgundy has always been my favorite drink but is expensive especially as a 23 year old but I could stay in some good chard by drinking what I made from maresh. Far better then I Could pay for. Pretty soon that wine bar glass poured away all my 05 maresh chard and I was back drinking BS Macon. Next year I raised the price so that if people where going to drink my maresh I had some pernot to replace it.

The maresh chard is tightly wound and I add more a but more so2 then most so the longer I can keep the around the better if I’m pouring wine for people I’m opening at least two vintages.

currently planting about 8 acres of chardonnay on maresh and I have a lease for 3.5 acres in the eola hills so more price points will develop.

Almost forgot, my eola hills chard is inspired by Walter Scott. My favorite Oregon winery. Nobody has done more to elevate Oregon chard into the next level and I really appreciate those wines. They have made my own wines better.

I appreciate the Maresh Maresh Chard.

Have some 16 but haven’t tried it yet.

Interesting to know about the Wente-only clones for 16 and 17 - same for the 18?

Aside from the extra sulphur, anything to add about the elevage of the 16?

BTW perfectly fine rationale for the pricing.

Great explanation. Thanks, Jim. I’ll be up there next month and will seek one out.

Jim, thanks for the great post. The irony here is that your note will probably sell out the wine, given all us Berserkers.

Karl - the 83 Wente does best on its own so 2018 and beyond it will be isolated and max out at 100 cases. Picking at low ph, browning the juice, 18 month elevage, DIAM 30 cork, enough so2 all helps to prevent potential oxidation in the bottle later on. Like I said 16 maresh chard is my sons birth vintage so I went to bottle with 52 ppm and to hit an already tightly wound wine with that makes the 16 practically immortal.

You all should buy up this juice.

Placed my first order:
Three of the Maresh Ch and three of the Maresh PN.

Have always enjoyed Jim’s wines. One of our most memorable tastings with him. Cheers Jim

Jim poured the Chard for us a couple of years ago when we were up there. I don’t drink a lot of Chard, but this is one of my favorites.

I remember drinking several bottles of Rex Hill Maresh vineyards Pinots 1983 in the late ‘90s. They were very good, and had developed some interesting tertiary aromatics.

Drank the 2016 AM Maresh Chardonnay this past weekend which I purchased because of Jim Maresh’s comments and story. Here is my note:

Popped, poured, and let sit in the glass for 20 minutes. The anticipation for this wine was high due to the fact that the winemaker stated that he prices this wine at $80 in hopes that no one will buy it so he can drink it himself! Blown away with the delicateness yet intensity. Interesting wine as it possessed an inherent prettiness and was lithe but also sported a nice core of ripe fruit which kept the wine in perfect balance. For me, Grand Cru Chablis quality. 95pts.

IMO, Burgundy vignerons ceasing this practice is a principle cause of premox.