2021 Arista Chardonnay El Diablo Vineyard

The 2021 Chardonnay UV-El Diablo Vineyard was named for the legendary grower Ulises Valdez and comes from an east-facing site on Windsor Ridge with a vein of Goldridge soils. In the glass, it takes on a lovely floral perfume of fresh pear, lemon oils, flint, and honeysuckle. It offers well-balanced richness, with a suggestion of decadence, and has rounded viscosity while retaining a fresh spine of acidity that propels the wine through the palate, with lasting notes of almond on the finish. It’s going to drink well over the next 10 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, and as of this year, Volterre, which readers will find in this report. He holds back an additional year in bottle for both wineries before release. This year, we see the return of the Pinot Noirs in the range, after the estate made the difficult decision not to produce any reds in 2020 due to the effects of the fires. In the cellar, all of the wines are barrel fermented, and fermentation is started with native yeast.

Lots of grape skin, subtle lemon curd and custard. Honey and blossom notes. Medium-bodied with a very tight palate and lovely depth and focus. There’s tension and clarity in the extremely long, racy and intense finish. A blend of Wente and Montrachet clones. Drink or hold.

The 2021 Chardonnay U.V. - El Diablo Vineyard is one of the more potent Chardonnays in the range, although like all the wines here, it is a bit less overt than in the past. Lemon confit, marzipan, tangerine oil, coconut and a kiss of French oak build in the glass. The El Diablo is a Chardonnay of weight and textural richness.