Arista Chardonnay 2017 750ml

Product Info

91pts Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay Russian River Valley is scented of poached pears, lemon peel, baker's yeast and golden apples with touches of citrus blossom and hazelnut. The palate is light to medium-bodied, silky and fresh with pure fruits and a juicy finish. Drink Date: 2020 – 2023 Published: Jul 23, 2020 Reviewed by: Erin Brooks

91pts Vinous Media
The 2017 Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) is rich, bold and luscious - all qualities that make it an excellent choice for near- and medium-term drinking. Apricot, tropical fruit, lemon confit and white flowers give this bold, textured Chardonnay tons of personality. This is an especially flamboyant style. Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025 

Brothers Mark and Ben McWilliams have done a tremendous job in elevating quality at Arista over the last handful of years. Winemaker Matt Courtney has been a big part of that story. Once again, I find the Chardonnays more compelling than the Pinots, but as I reflect upon that, I think the Chardonnay sites are simply better suited to making the kinds of wines the McWilliamses have in mind. Readers will find Chardonnays and Pinots that are rich, bold and full of character. - By Antonio Galloni on January 2020

Terroir
The 2017 Arista Chardonnay brings together fruit from several of the estate’s top vineyard blocks—specifically the El Diablo Vineyard on Eastside Road, Banfield Vineyard on Martinelli Road, Ritchie Vineyard on Eastside Road, and the Westside Road estate vineyard. These sites benefit from the cool marine influence of the Russian River Valley: morning fogs, warm afternoons, and cooling nights that help retain acidity and preserve vibrant fruit character. The soils across these sites are well-drained alluvial loams and gravels with older vine plantings, enabling concentration and structure while maintaining clarity of expression.

Winemaking & Technical Notes
For the 2017 vintage, Arista employed a blending of those multiple vineyards and used only about 20% new French oak barrels for ageing. The wine spent 12 months in barrel followed by an additional 4-6 months in stainless steel, ensuring richness from oak ageing while preserving freshness. The alcohol content is 14.4%. The vintage notes indicate excellent fruit quality, moderate yields, and a growing season that allowed phenolic maturity without over-ripe character.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2017 Arista Chardonnay presents a medium-gold hue. The nose opens with aromas of asiatic pear, tangerine zest, lemongrass, white flowers and wet stone minerality. On the palate the wine is medium-to-full bodied with rich fruit—white peach, quince, lemon curd—balanced by vibrant acidity and a clear thread of mineral (wet stone, oyster shell) beneath. The oak influence is subtle: you’ll detect toasted bread or brioche nuances but they don’t dominate. The finish is long and elegant, with persistent citrus zest, a touch of almond, and saline tension. Given its structure and quality, this Chardonnay is already enjoyable yet built for short-to-medium term ageing.

Food Pairing & Service
Serve this wine chilled to about 10–12 °C (50–54 °F) in a white wine glass that allows aromatics to open. If recently stored cold, allow it a few minutes out of the fridge for optimal expression. This Chardonnay pairs beautifully with a variety of dishes: pan-seared scallops with lemon-butter, roast chicken with herbs and garlic, grilled halibut with beurre blanc, or even butternut-squash risotto with sage. For cheese, consider aged Comté or a mildly creamy Brie. Because of its acidity and structure, the wine can continue to develop in bottle for 5–8 years under good storage, gaining further complexity and subtle oak/terroir layers.