Arista Winery - Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2020

The Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a blend of three Russian River Valley Chardonnay vineyards: El Diablo Vineyard on Eastside Road, Banfield Vineyard on Martinelli Road, and Ritchie Vineyard on Eastside Road. This wine is made with modest amount of new oak to allow the fruit to take center stage and has a great richness and silkiness, yet still possessing firm structure. Notes of brioche, yellow peach, panna cotta, and white flowers greet the nose, while flavors of tangy limeade, pear nectar, lemon zest are buoyed by a savory and mouth-watering mix of acid and minerals on the finish.

Arista Winery was founded in 2002 by Al and Janis McWilliams with a mission to create the most elegant expression of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. From the beginning the McWilliams have firmly believed that the finest examples of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are produced in small lots. This belief has always led to an emphasis on quality over quantity and a determination to discover and develop unique vineyard sites that reflect the distinct characteristics of the Russian River Valley.

In 2012 the McWilliams’ sons, Mark and Ben, took over the family business and now run the day-to-day operations. They do not attempt to manipulate their vineyard sites but instead strive to preserve each vineyard’s natural qualities. They believe that wines made in the vineyard are well-behaved in the cellar and that with minimal intervention and gentle handling the resulting wines reflect the bespoke sites from which they are sourced.

In 2013, Mark and Ben hired Winemaker Matt Courtney, Assistant Winemaker Gordon Miller, and Cellarmaster Ray Lyons. The current winemaking team boasts 20+ years’ experience making acclaimed, terroir-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Sonoma County. Since the 2013 vintage, Arista Winery has consistently produced some of the highest rated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir by any producer in California.

Grape clusters are sorted by hand and gently transferred as whole clusters directly into our press to undergo an extremely gentle press cycle lasting 3-4 hours. From the settling tank, the juice is moved to 60-gallon French oak barrels, where fermentation is allowed to occur naturally using only native yeast that come in from the vineyards. Limited battonage is used during the first 2-3 months of fermentation in order to encourage the development of a healthy yeast population. Once fermentation is safely underway the wine is not disturbed until the fermentation is complete, which typically takes about 10-11 months. Final blends are assembled and gently racked to stainless- steel tanks for about 4-6 months.

"Offers lemon sherbet, salted butterscotch and lemon blossom notes that are fresh and aromatic, with a seamlessness to the supple texture and fresh acidity. Reveals a touch of vanilla crème anglaise and fresh, fleshy nectarine notes that linger on the long finish.” - 93 Points, Wine Spectator

Producer: Arista Winery

Country: USA

Region: California

Varietal: Chardonnay

Appellation: Russian River Valley

Vintage: 2020

Size: 750ml