2020 Arista Chardonnay Russian River Valley

All these white wines from Arista are a medium yellow with glints of green. The 2020 Chardonnay Russian River Valley is expressive with gorgeous minerals and a ripe profile of flinty wet stone, ripe pear, and delicate baking spices. Ripe and full-bodied, with clean lift on the finish without feeling heavy on the palate, it reveals notes of quince, pink grapefruit, and a hint of vanilla to round it out. I like where this is now, although it will be lovely drinking over the next few years. Located in the heart of the Russian River Valley, Arista Winery was founded in 2002 by Al and Janis McWilliams, who handed over day-to-day operations to their children, Mark and Ben, in 2012. Today, the winemaking is overseen by esteemed winemaker Matt Courtney, who spent eight years with Marcassin. Additionally, Matt makes wines under his own label, Ferren. He holds back an additional year in bottle for both wineries before release. Thus, the most recent coverage is for the 2020 vintage, where they made the difficult decision to only produce white wines due to the impact of the fires.

The 2020 Chardonnay Estate is a very successful wine in this challenging vintage, with highly concentrated fruit and notable vibrancy. It was matured for 12 months in 38% new French oak and finished with an additional six months in stainless steel. The nose begins with youthful oak character that complements aromas of apricot, lemongrass and jasmine, while its flavors are more honeyed on the palate. Medium-bodied, generous yet focused, it is luxurious and mouth-coating with a long, nutty finish. 150 cases were made.

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.