WINERY: The core principle of the winemaking philosophy at Arista is to capture and express the true character and potential of each vineyard. They work with a very carefully chosen handful of grand-cru level Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards, and are uncompromising in their efforts to maximize the full potential of the wines crafted from these special sites.

WINE: The 2021 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir blends several vineyards from across the storied Russian River appellation, which makes it a prime snapshot of our home region as a whole in each vintage. In 2021, conditions for Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley were exceptional, leading to deeply colored, intensely aromatic, wonderfully vibrant wines.

The 2021 vintage was marked by ideal weather conditions, resulting in exceptional fruit from our vineyard partners throughout Northern California and from our estate. The winter was relatively dry in California, leading to an early bud break and small yields. Beautiful warm weather during the summer and the absence of extreme heat spikes in the latter half of the season allowed for excellent fruit maturation. As the season progressed, the theme of “early” continued, leading to a prompt harvest in advance of fall rains. The wines from 2021 represent a new high-water mark for wine quality at Arista. They’re true reflections of a wonderful season at Arista and across California.

11 months in French oak barrels. 20-30% whole cluster used during fermentation. Unfined and unfiltered.

Yeast: Native

This ruby-hued wine shows classic Pinot Noir aromas of black plum, tart cherry, and cola. Across the palate, similar ripe fruit notes are abundant and buttressed by the tangy acidity. The firm tannins, which are a hallmark of the 2021 vintage, round out the long finish on this quintessential Sonoma Pinot Noir.