Savoring Texas Chardonnay: A Tasting of Nine Wines at Arché Winery
- andychalk
- 11 minutes ago
- 6 min read
by Andrew Chalk
Some of the best Texas wine is being made in the most out-of-the-way parts of the state. From the volcanic soils of the Davis Mountains, to the Jurassic soils of Kiepersol Vineyard and Winery in East Texas, the addition of skilled winemaking lights the fuse that makes for great wine.
So it is in far north Texas where more and more wineries, typically family-owned and Texas trained (Grayson College and Texas Tech.feature prominently), are setting up shop. Across the 22 counties encompassed by the trade organization North Texas Wine Country there are now 40 wineries.
Arché Winery
One of the best, and longest established, is Arché Winery just outside the town of St. Jo (pop. ≈1000) in the Red River Valley. Arché was founded in 2007 by Howard and Amy Davies. They are still active today, although winemaking has passed to their son, Grayson, who brings Texas Tech. viticultural and oenology creds. (as the first student to graduate in the newly created enology and viticulture program in 2011) to the role.
The commitment then and now is to 100% Texas grapes (most are grown on their own estate), making the best wine they know how, and offering an enjoyable and memorable tasting experience in their tasting room situated right next to their vineyards with rolling views down the valley.
As a small winery (producing some 1600 cases/year) Arché cannot command the airwaves to get attention. I discovered them in the course of regular weekend trips from Dallas/Fort Worth visiting wineries. They are an easy two hours from Dallas, with some interesting food (barbecue and German especially) on the way. The tasting room at that time was about the size of a bicycle shed (it may have actually been a bicycle shed), but the wines were already good and their regular success led to a loyal wine club and eventually the impressive tasting room they have now.
Chardonnay at Arché
While Arché makes red, white, and rose wine from several varieties I have found one unofficial champion. Arché makes exceptional Chardonnay. When I heard that August featured a sit-down vertical tasting of no fewer than nine of their Chardonnays I leapt at the opportunity for a media place..
So did many others, meaning that winemaker Grayson Davies addressed a boisterous and virtually full to the gills barrel-room of other Texas wine fans and Arché Wine Club members.
In the course of his remarks I heard what could be the solution to one of the puzzles about Chardonnay in Texas. It is often remarked that Texas’ vulnerability to late Spring frost makes the early budding Chardonnay grape a poor choice to grow. Grayson referred to some research mentioned by wine writer Jancis Robinson that, whilst early bud break is a feature of Chardonnay, the vine has very strong secondary buds and these can lead to a serviceable grape crop even when the primary buds are badly damaged by frost.
This would explain why Chardonnay, while damaged so often, still produces crops for wineries like Arché, Fall Creek (purchased from Certenberg Vineyard), Robert Clay Vineyards, Llano Estacado Winery, and others.
Tasting Notes
Grayson took us through the wines chronologically.
2022 Arché Chardonnay, Montague County, Texas
2022 Arché Chardonnay Reserve, Montague County, Texas
Winemaker notes “Dry, mild winter with one early February snow and ice storm. Wind machines protected Chardonnay through five frost events in March-April. Bud burst was April 1. Summer heat peaked at 114𝆩F in mid-July, with several consecutive weeks above 100𝆩F and negligible rainfall, necessitating heavy irrigation.”
This is an apposite description of the opposites of Texas weather that the state’s winegrowers routinely confront. Temperatures below 28𝆩F threatened the vines in March and April. The role of the wind machines was crucial. They inverted the air streams, bringing warmer air down to the vines. These were innovative in the state at that time. I remember when an early adopter, pioneering Texas grower Andy Timmons of Brownsville in the Texas High Plains, addressed a room of wine growers and experts in New York City a decade ago. Asked about the effect of his expensive purchase of wind machines he replied “They saved my crop”. Arché found the same.
By the summer, the temperatures went above 100𝆩F and water had to be added to keep the vines alive.
Despite having to take these drastic measures, good wine was still made. The non-reserve 2022 bottling has a nose of intense mango and other tropical fruit. The palate has flavors of French oak, a perceptible phenolic backbone, ripe fruit and a moderate finish all balanced in the mouth.
The reserve is like an amplified version of the foregoing. Tropical fruit nose, weightier body on the palate, more phenolic grip in the core. Buttery flavors in the mouth. A longer and very pleasant finish. Both wines show a good balance of components with ample acid even though the reserve went through 100% malolactic fermentation and battonage. It should be noted that time in oak at Arché is about twice as long for the reserves (8-10 months) versus the regular bottlings (3-5 months).
2022 Arché County Line White, Texas
A curiosity. A 50/50 blend of Arché Chardonnay and Blue Ostrich Winery Viognier. With 50% Montague County fruit and 50% Cook County fruit it raises interesting questions about appellation. The solution is to generalize and go with ‘Texas’. The Viognier grape is known for contributing aromatic components to wine. Notably, fruit from grapefruit to apricot depending on ripeness. In this wine, the two grapes combine to make an interesting blend that will prove popular for quaffing on hot summer days.
2023 Arché Chardonnay, Montague County, Texas
2023 Arché Chardonnay Reserve, Montague County, Texas
Winemaker’s notes: “Bud burst started March 10 followed by a hard freeze down to 20 degrees on March 18. This results in significant bud loss, hence a light crop. Wine machines protected against frost events on April 6-7. Several weeks of temperatures above 100𝆩F preceded harvest.”
This vintage appears to have sustained damage that even the wind machines could not prevent. Both bottlings fell behind their 2022 counterparts, although the regular bottling displayed Meyer lemon in abundance on the nose and the reserve had vibrant citrus flavors of lemon and lime.
2024 Arché Chardonnay, Montague County, Texas
2024 Arché Chardonnay Reserve, Montague County, Texas
Winemaker’s notes” “Mild winter with bud burst March 13. Wind machine protected Chardonnay on five occasions. We then had a rainy spring followed by a relatively dry and moderate summer. One of the better viticulture climate years at Arché”
I detect a tone of optimism here that may stem from the windmaking machines having paid for themselves by now. Grayson’s confidence is reflected in him cutting back on malolactic fermentation to some high level below 100%. Very refined, multidimensional wines that are superb for current drinking. The reserve started out a bit closed so give it time.
2025 Arché True Friends, Montague County, Texas
A blend of 30% Chardonnay and 70% Roussanne (it varies by vintage). This is a curate’s egg of a wine as Roussanne and Chardonnay both have assets that benefit from the other and are masked by the other. Roussanne has a steely note that reacts with the fruity sweetness in the Chardonnay fruit. Chardonnay has a phenolic core that can be diffused by Roussanne’s minerality. I would enjoy it most as a quaffing wine for hot days by the pool and not try to overcomplicate the experience.
2025 Arché Chardonnay, Montague County, Texas
Winemaker’s notes: “Mild winter with 6.5 inches of snow in January; bud burst occurred again on March 13. Significant hailstorms struck on April 3 and May 19. Vigorous regrowth after the first event limited fruit damage from the second. Late season rains hampered ripening, however Chardonnay was harvested before the majority of the rain.”
Shows the tenacity of Chardonnay in challenging weather. Grayson applied only about 70% malolactic fermentation to this wine. This reduced the buttery notes and let the citrus and tropical fruit come through in a very pure expression.
Overall Favorite
The 2022 Chardonnay Reserve. Can be quaffed on its own or enjoyed with seafood or poultry.
If Arché were a restaurant the Michelin Guide would say “worth a detour”. And Chardonnay is only one of their strengths. Grayson served some good Syrah as a lagniappe and I have enjoyed their Roussannes as much as I have enjoyed their Chardonnays over the years.
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