Healdsburg wine-tasting gem pours polished small-lot Pinot Noirs plus Chardonnay.
Note: Arista sold its estate and production facility and closed the tasting room in early 2025, but the wines, still being produced, are available online.
Al and Janis McWilliams founded Arista Winery in 2002. Their sons, Mark and Ben, now run this Russian River Valley winery known for its polished small-lot Pinot Noirs. After purchasing Arista from their parents, the brothers’ key move was to hire winemaker Matt Courtney. A protégé of Helen Turley, a well-respected grape-growing and winemaking consultant, Courtney became a star in his own right for his approach, emphasizing vigilance in the vineyard and minimal manipulation during the fermenting and aging process. Arista Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, which routinely earn scores in the mid-to-high 90s from influential critics, come from elite Sonoma County and Mendocino County vineyards, Banfield, El Diablo, Ritchie, UV, and UV Lucky Well among them.
More Healdsburg Wineries and Tasting Rooms
Aperture Cellars Winemaker Knows a Lot About the Little Things
It’s a Families Affair at Bacchus Landing Tasting Collective
Medlock Ames Tackles Climate Change with Enhanced Vineyard Practices
Restaurant Suggestions
Healdsburg Restaurants Cheat Sheet
More About Sonoma County
Sonoma County Basics
Sonoma County Vineyard Walks
Sonoma Pinot Noir Day Trip
This story originally appeared online in 2017; it was updated in 2025 to reflect the sale of the estate and production facility.
Pingback: ACORN Winery – Daniel Mangin
Pingback: Healdsburg Restaurants Cheat Sheet – Daniel Mangin
Pingback: Aperture Cellars Winemaker Knows a Lot About the Little Things – Daniel Mangin
Pingback: It’s a Families Affair at Bacchus Landing – Daniel Mangin
Pingback: STORY INDEX BY REGION – Daniel Mangin
Pingback: Small Vines Wines – Daniel Mangin