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Arista

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Arista Winery

Arista Winery

7015 Westside Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Website: https://www.aristawinery.com/

Arista is located along Westside Road in the Russian River Valley.  You can’t go wrong with the wineries along this stretch of road.  There are some big names like Gary Farrell, Williams Selyem, and Rochioli that are known for their great Pinot Noir.  Arista is no exception. This winery is sort of a newbie in the area compared to some of the other named pioneers.  The winery was founded in 2002 by Al and Janis McWilliams with a focus on small lot wines.  Their two sons took over in 2012.  They specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Prior to 2017 when I visited, the tasting room was open to the public.  Arista now requires reservations and has three tasting options to choose from.  It’s a little pricier than other public tastings but reasonable considering it is a more intimate experience.  The winery is nestled in a quiet setting amongst the vineyards.  The main building that houses the tasting room has a wood frame and feel of nature.

Patio at Arista Winery

Patio at Arista Winery

There is a walk-around porch on one side with some rocking chairs and a walkway leading to a Japanese garden.  This was the best part of our visit in my opinion.  As you might imagine, the garden is very serene.  The tasting room inside is modest and continues with the outdoorsy feel.  On one wall was some wood planks with different soil types.  I always find displays like that pretty cool.  There was a wood bench, a couple of coffee tables and chairs.  I found the space rather small with the tasting bar in a corner.  The tasting room can only accommodate a max of 8 people at a time.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing since it guarantees that the room won’t be over-crowded.

Arista Winery Tasting Room

Arista Winery Tasting Room

I was expecting more from my experience because I heard other people talk highly about the winery.  During the tasting I felt like we barely got any information on the wines to peak our interest.  I thought they were good quality but nothing stood out to me.  It could have been because it was the end of the day and I was feeling a bit fatigued.  However, I was expecting something more exciting.  I will say that maybe I wasn’t the best judge for this particular winery.  Wine Spectator magazine has rated at least 14 of their Pinot Noirs a score of 90+.   I personally would recommend this winery more for its Japanese garden than the wine, but that’s just my opinion.  Obviously the group I overheard talking highly about Arista would think differently.

Japanese Garden at Arista Winery

Japanese Garden at Arista Winery

Pangloss Cellars

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Pangloss Cellars Tasting Room in Sonoma Square

Pangloss Cellars Tasting Room in Sonoma Square

35 East Napa Street, Sonoma CA 95476

Website: http://www.panglosscellars.com/

Pangloss Cellars is located in the center of Sonoma Square on the corner of East Napa Street and 1st Street East.  This is one of my favorite latest finds.  I had never heard of the winery before stumbling upon it while acting as a tour guide for my mother-and-law and my husband’s aunt who were visiting Sonoma for the first time.  They wanted to do a little window shopping while my husband and I opted to try a tasting room.  I can’t even recall which tasting room I was actually looking for at the time.  I am so happy we encountered Pangloss.

Pangloss tasting bar in downtown Sonoma

Pangloss tasting bar in downtown Sonoma

As we walked into the tasting room it felt a like stepping into a different society.  My impression of the tasting room is that it’s a combination of a scholarly lounge with a modern, chic flair.  The name Pangloss came from literary figure Dr. Pangloss who was an eternal optimist in French novelist Voltaire’s Candide.  The focal point of the room is a large, square tasting bar surrounded by bar chairs, with a giant vine in the center, and a wall of wine bottles lined up from ceiling to floor behind it.  The front of the room where we entered is mostly windows looking out toward the square.  There are areas in front of the windows and around the sides of the bar with comfy leather or upholstered furniture.  The walls to the left side of the room are all stone.

Pangloss Cellars wine bar

Pangloss Cellars wine bar

On the right side of the room is a large picture of what looks like an 18th century literary figure.  The rest of the room is framed by wood beams and modest chandeliers that add to the warm, social atmosphere.  The room was hopping with people when we stopped in, but it wasn’t overly packed.  We were able to find a couple seats up at the corner of the bar.

In the same spirit as the character that the winery is named after, the owners’ philosophy is “optimism is the best approach to life”.  They want to share the best of Sonoma with their patrons.  The winery is fairly recent, producing their first vintage in 2010.  Their wines are small production of about 4,000 cases that are sourced from all over Sonoma.  Guests are encouraged to come in and make themselves comfortable while they experience one of three tasting experiences.  The first option is a traditional tasting flight at the bar.  The other options are relaxing with a glass or flight and some small plates in the lounge, or to reserve a private, immersive tasting in the cellar.  Since my husband and I were just swinging by to try something new and didn’t have a lot of time, we did a tasting flight at the bar.  Our flight of wines included a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, couple of Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a red blend.  I very much enjoyed all of the singe varietal wines.  I found the 2013 Pinot Noir to have warm spices of cinnamon and cardamom and an extremely silky texture.  The Zinfandels were really robust and would pair well with grilled meats.

We left excited by the fact that we stumbled upon the tasting room and brought home a few bottles with us.  In my opinion, the owners have succeeded in fulfilling their core values of being “welcoming, authentic, optimistic and unpretentious”.  This is a place worth seeking out.

Martin Ray

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Martin Ray Winery

Martin Ray Winery

2191 Laguna Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Website: https://www.martinraywinery.com/

 

Martin Ray Water Tower

Martin Ray Water Tower

Martin Ray is in the heart of the Russian River Valley.  As one would expect from this region, the winery produces exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  In addition, they produce Cabernet Sauvignon.  The distinguishing landmark for this winery is a water tower that stands behind the winery.  Martin Ray’s wines have often been highly rated in wine magazines.

Founder Martin Ray is a pioneer in the history of California wine for producing 100% varietal wines.  He made wines under his own name from 1943 through 1972.  The winery was purchased by the current owner Courtney Behnam in 1990 who has upheld the tradition of 100% varietal wines. The winemakers seek out high quality grapes from other appellations outside of the Russian River Valley, like the Santa Cruz Mountains, Napa Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and Sonoma Coast.

 

Chairs beside the vineyard at Martin Ray

Chairs beside the vineyard at Martin Ray

I had a very pleasant experience at this winery.  Looking back, it makes me think about family reunions when I was younger where we would all gather at a park during the summer for a picnic.  However, my family picnics didn’t include a vineyard.  When we arrived we parked right beside the vineyard.  There were a few colorful Adirondack chairs and a small table next to the vineyard for guests.  We walked across the driveway to the cobblestone path leading to the tasting room.  The exterior looks like a large home with columns out front. To the right of tasting room is another building with huge oak barrels outside. In between the two buildings is a lawn with bushes and colorful flowers that add to the homey feel.  There are a few picnic tables as well. 

Martin Ray Tasting Room

Martin Ray Tasting Room

Inside the tasting room is cozy with white walls and beams that are contrasted by the dark wood tables, shelves, and tasting bar.  There are a number of gift items available too. 

We had our tasting outside at a picnic table amongst the garden looking out at the vineyards Guests are welcome to bring a picnic lunch or can arrange in advance for Martin Ray to provide one.  There are a few different types of tastings that include samples of the wines from each of the appellations.  The winery also offers a tour and tasting or a more elegant experience inside their barrel room.  Our server came out to the picnic table every few minutes to check on us and pour a new wine.  She moved at our pace and we felt like she was catering to us.  I was impressed that she used a Coravin to pour the wine (a new device that allows you to pour by the class without ever taking the cork out of the bottle, thereby preserving the wine from oxidation).  I really liked that we had a varied selection of wines to try from different varietals and areas.  Along with the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon that they are so well known for, we tried a Malbec and Merlot.  The Synthesis Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is exquisite, but I was most surprised by the Merlot.  I am not often intrigued by Merlot, but this one really wowed me with its smoothness and taste of deep cherry and brown spices.

This was one of the most peaceful tastings I’ve had.  My husband and I were impressed with all of the wines and left smiling after joining the wine club.