For those hunting down good wine for the old soul, look no further than Healdsburg, CA’s Arista Winery. The dedicated staff focuses its attention on the top-tier grand cru-level noble grapes, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, that have established their places as two of wine lovers’ favorite time-tested bottles. Complex, exciting and exceptionally food-friendly, Arista’s wines benefit from masterful use of native fermentation, which allows for a pure and transparent expression of the character of the vineyard in each unique vintage.

Chardonnay has long enjoyed its status as a beloved go-to white wine. While the world-renowned varietal has starred in the wine-centric cult film Bottle Shock, wine enthusiasts now jokingly shun it using the acronym “ABC,” or “anything but Chardonnay.” While many average-at-best examples have invaded the market, Chardonnay nevertheless remains one of the most reliable, versatile, and utilized grapes in the industry and a seamless pairing for fish, chicken, vegetables, and pasta. From its inherent food-friendliness to its refreshing drinkability, Russian River Valley Chardonnay in particular has earned its stripes among the greatest wines being produced today.

Ken Fredrickson, Master Sommelier and Founder of Tenzing Wine and Spirits remarks, “Time and again I gravitate to Arista’s Russian River appellation Chardonnay, although the single vineyards provide reference for ‘terroir,’ Matt Courtney has an incredible understanding of the resources he has to work with and the elegance, structure and value at this level is almost impossible to rival in California Chardonnay.”

Pinot Noir, Arista’s other offering (and star of the wine-centric cult film Sideways), cemented its status long-ago as the grape that launched the French region of Burgundy to international stardom. Arista’s grapes, fermented using only the unique mix of naturally occurring yeast that resides in their vineyards, arrive naturally inoculated at the winery on the day of harvest. The resulting fermentations are gentle, gradual, cool and quite slow, and result in the incredible nuance, expressive personalities, exquisite balance and lengthy finish for which Russian River Pinot Noir is best-known.

Brahm Callahan, Master Sommelier and Beverage Director of Himmel Hospitality Group says, “Pinot Noir is a varietal that is incredibly transparent in that it shows a sense of place and terrior extremely well. It also tends to show winemaking influence as well and as a result a restraint in the winery and meticulous work in the vineyards are always key to find a great bottle of Pinot Noir.”

While wine shop options for each style truly run the gamut, seeking out masters of this delicate craft is essential. Healdsburg has long served as a beacon of culinary and winemaking excellence, so if it’s Chardonnay and Pinot Noir you crave, introduce these New World bottles into your Old World repertoire.

More about Arista Winery, including where to buy, right this way.