Name: Arista Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2018 750ml
Brand: Arista
SKU: 923236
Price: 98.92 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 92.5 (4 reviews)

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Winery

Arista

Shop all from Arista

Varietal

Chardonnay

Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.

Country

United States

Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.

Region

California

California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.

Appellation

Sonoma Valley

California's beautiful and remarkably fertile Sonoma Valley has grown over the decades to become one of the United States' most respected and profitable wine regions, with wineries within the region benefiting from the superb Californian sunshine, low rainfall and wonderfully rich soils. Because of this vital combination of excellent conditions, the region is able to grow a wide range of grape varietals for use in the production of an impressive array of wines, with many different red and white wine grapes flourishing each year and producing excellent and characterful results. The soils have been enriched by volcanic activity, and the presence of geothermal springs, which make this region a unique one, and very much the beating heart of California's ever growing wine industry.

WA 94pts

Wine Advocate

The 2018 Chardonnay Russian River Valley comes from declassified barrels from Arista's single-vineyard program in addition to some purchased fruit. Made with about 15% new oak, the nose features toasty yellow apples, jasmine, honey and a streak of graphite. The satiny palate manages full, ripe fruits and fresh lift, finishing with great length and an alluring hint of matchstick.

JD 93pts

Jeb Dunnuck

Starting off with the appellation 2018 Chardonnay Russian River Valley from Arista, this smoking Chardonnay would be ideal for readers trying to understand the style of Arista as well as the overall quality of this estate. Offering up a light golden hue as well as a beautiful perfume of stone fruits, pear, honeyed minerality, and white flowers, it hits the palate with more medium-bodied richness, a round, supple, layered texture, beautifully integrated acidity, and one heck of a great finish. This is one incredible appellation Chardonnay that should be snatched up by readers.

WS 92pts

Wine Spectator

Baked apple, pear tart and dried apricot flavors glide across the palate, with lemon curd accents. Shows light buttery and spicy accents on the plush finish. Drink now through 2025. 1,500 cases made.

VM 91pts

Vinous Media

The 2018 Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) is a very pretty, expressive wine. Airy and beautifully perfumed, the 2018 is all class. Dried pear, flowers, mint, chamomile and citrus are some of the notes that grace the 2018, a wine that shows the more restrained, elegant side of the Russian River.

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Arista Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2018 750ml

Case of 6

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