Arista Winery

4.5 star rating
69 reviews Rating Details

Category: Wineries  [Edit]

7015 Westside Rd
Healdsburg, CA 95448
(707) 473-0606
Hours:

Mon-Sun 11 am - 5 pm

Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Price Range:
$$$
Parking:
Private Lot
Good for Kids:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
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69 reviews in English

  • Review from Leeseuh K.

    • 51 friends
    • 86 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    3/12/2012

    There are so many things I love about this winery.  They make several killer pinots!  The scenery includes a view of the vineyard and a Japanese water garden!  The staff is super friendly and informative!  They even have a dog that will keep you company during your picnic.  okay, maybe he was begging for some food.  Enjoyed every part of the experience!!

    If you are a pinot fan, you will definitely like this place!!

  • Review from Dinora G.

    • 12 friends
    • 17 reviews

    Daly City, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/7/2012

    Great wine, phenomenal grounds, go check it out. Thank you cuttie pie Russell for the informative lesson in wine, San Francisco moms.

    Awesome pinots and WONDERFUL grounds, a true gem.

  • Review from Caesar R.

    • 552 friends
    • 524 reviews

    Brooklyn, NY

    4.0 star rating
    4/22/2012 1 Check-in Here

    Great PINOT NOIR!

    Great gardens around the properity and really fun friendly service.  

    They source their grapes from multiple regions and as far north as Oregon.  

    Enjoy this Russian River Valley gem for a $5 tasting fee, which is really a bargain.

  • Review from Andrew K.

    Mountain View, CA

    2.0 star rating
    2/19/2012

    A beautiful setting--it's easy to see why Arista is so popular for weddings!

    Unfortunately, the setting/gardens were the best part of our experience.  The service was not the greatest--the staff just was not warm (worst out of the 5 wineries we toured) and seemed a bit pushy as we decided not to get a bottle after the tasting. There was nothing we really liked, especially since we found plenty of other wineries that had wines we liked more for about half the price of Arista wines.   I can't help but wonder if the price tag is more a product of the expenses needed to go into maintaining the landscape and not the quality of the wine.

  • Review from Jay D.

    • 0 friends
    • 4 reviews

    Brooklyn, NY

    5.0 star rating
    3/2/2012

    So, someone suggested we stop in here to try the wine while we were out in Sonoma looking for a place to get married. "Hey, this is pretty darn good pinot," we say to ourselves. And then we saw the wedding albums on the table, and found out that they host weddings. A quick inquiry, and we were being swept across the grounds and the gardens. And we're saying to ourselves, "wow, this is awfully nice."

    Twelve months later, we said the "I do's" on the lawn behind the winery and headed up the hill for an evening of wine, food, and celebration. Everything was phenomenal. The events coordinators at Arista, Leslie and Kelly, were wonderful. The wine is really quite good. The space is beautiful.

    I can't encapsulate in an online review how happy we were to get married at Arista. I"m not going to try.

    Was this review …?

    Comment from Mark M. of Arista Winery 3/16/2012   
    Jay, just wanted to say thank you for the kind review.… More »
  • Review from Mack S.

    • 30 friends
    • 44 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    2/5/2012

    We thought all the wines here were great and the grounds are very nice.  Our server vanished in the middle of our tasting (in his defense, we did wander around outside for a while in the middle of the tasting), but the other host jumped in and saved us.  

    They were pouring 3 varieties of pinot noir and a zinfandel when we were there.  We took home a bottle of the zin.  I would have also gladly taken any of the pinots, but had a hard time justifying the +$50 price tag on a day that I was visiting several wineries.

  • Review from Emmalouise B.

    San Mateo, CA

    4.0 star rating
    9/14/2011 4 photos 1 Check-in Here

    Specialize in: Pinot Noir
    Tasting Fee: $10 (if you visit Sophie's Cellars in Monte Rio and pick up a flyer you get one tasting free)
    Hours: 11am - 5pm
    Pricing per bottle: $36-$48

    Beautiful, simply beautiful!

    Arista was the last Winery on our tour and was a perfect spot to sit and chill for a short while..
    Unfortunately, after having a little too much to drink the night before and the previous winery making me feel even more worse for wear I decided it was best not to partake in tasting much here which was a real shame as the selection looked good.
    We were given a small tasting and told we could take it along with us while we walked around grounds which they allow you to do freely.

    They have the cutest little Japanese Garden and Bench area where you can take along your own Picnic and relax for the afternoon while sampling the wines which is a nice touch. I would like to go back some day so i can sample and enjoy the peaceful surroundings a little more.

  • Review from Jocelyn J.

    South San Francisco, CA

    1.0 star rating
    11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here

    We wandered onto the back patio area of this huge estate winery to do a tasting outdoors. The bar was empty so we were served right away by someone who in all of our opinions could have been so much more engaging.

    To sum up the experience, my friend told the server one wine smelled like a porto potty and to this he smiled and laughed. He called his friend over to hear the description she just gave and this guy said "Actually, we say dirty diaper!".The other wine that stands out in my memory is the one that smelled of raw beef.

    This place is hilarious and pretentious all in one! I would pass this place up unless you are interested in tasting the porto potty!

  • Review from Kevin W.

    • 0 friends
    • 2 reviews

    Oak Park, IL

    5.0 star rating
    9/19/2011

    Arista was the first stop on our tour of vineyards in Sonoma county. I will say that getting to Arista was where the fun really started. It was very relaxing to drive along side the Russian River and take in the views as we made our way to the vineyard.

    The Arista grounds are very pleasant. The parking lot is adjacent to a number of vines and the tasting room is a short walk from the parking lot. My wife doesn't drink, and although I love wine, neither of us consider ourselves very knowledgeable about wine in general. So, we were slightly concerned about sticking out like sore thumbs when we got into the tasting room. Not so. We were greeted promptly and with enthusiasm right as we entered the tasting room. Surprisingly, the man working the counter didn't assume we were there just for a tasting.

    The tasting fee was $10, which is waved if you buy. We started with a Sav Blanc that was actually not part of Arista, but on the table since it was bottled by a friend or family member (can't remember) at a nearby winery. it was very nice. At this point, a large group came in that I think the staff member was expecting, so he left us for them, but immediately someone else took his place and walked us through the rest of the wines. I forget his name, but he was an ex-Marine. Very friendly. Answered all our questions, some of which were (I'm sure elementary). I am a big fan of pinot noir, so I bought a case of it along with some other wines. I didn't think so at the time, but I found it interesting that they shipped only during the cooler weather. Maybe this doesn't matter. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait a month or two before I receive the wine.

    The wines are on the expensive side, $36 to $48 bottle. We did buy one of their $60 bottles, and it was very good.

    After this, my wife and I spent some time in their Japanese-style garden and sat out on the benches and soaked up the sun. This was a mistake, since it just limited the time we could spend at other places.

    Nevertheless, we really enjoyed Arista. I'd definitely go back again, and I'd recommend it to everyone touring the Russian River Valley.

  • Review from Monica P.

    • 14 friends
    • 2 reviews

    Austin, TX

    5.0 star rating
    8/17/2011

    This was the second winery of a day set up by our designated driver service.  Upon arrival, I found that the winery resembled the size of most Sonoma wineries, however the tasting room and garden were pretty full of enthusiastic visitors.  We had an appointment set up by our driving service for a winery tour and private tasting, however for some reason or another, they could not find our appointment.  They asked if we could give them a minute or two to figure things out, so I ventured out to the gardens and decided maybe we should just do a quick tasting and bolt.

    As I walked back into the tasting room, Andy greeted us and said he was give us a private tour of the winery along with a private tasting in the secluded part of the garden.  We were impressed that Andy accommodated us so quickly!  We head out into the vineyard, riding a stretch hummer golf cart, just the three of us, and spent easily a half hour touring the beautiful grounds.  He told us stories of the vineyard owner (A TEXAN! Bonus points!) and the Russian Valley region.

    Afterwards, we were seated in the private area of the garden with for our tastings of multiple pinot noirs and zin.  Andy was a pleasure to talk to!  He made this visit unforgettable!  I really appreciated the time he spent with us (more than he should have probably), and the hospitality here can not be beat!  Bought a bottle of Russian Valley Pinot Noir, so sad there is no wine club though.

    Highlight of my Sonoma Trip!

  • Review from Lindsey D.

    • 9 friends
    • 3 reviews

    Los Angeles, CA

    5.0 star rating
    11/19/2010

    Our trip to Arista truly made our Sonoma experience. The grounds are amazing, the Japanese-inspired architecture and landscaping are breathtaking, the people could not be friendlier and enjoyable to be around, and the WINE is outstanding. Gabriel and Billy were on hand to share their knowledge and entertain us, and a fine selection of Pinot Noir was ready for tasting and enjoyment.

    We ended up purchasing one bottle each, and Gabriel even waived the tasting fee ($10 and 7 wines!)

    HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

  • Review from Lauren H.

    • 0 friends
    • 20 reviews

    Washington, DC

    5.0 star rating
    6/30/2011

    Arista was the pinnacle of our trip to Sonoma County!  Upon arrival, our group of three was greeted by Billy and we were taken on a tour of the property.  A special highlight was riding around on their stretch hummer golf carts!

    After a tour of the vineyards and gardens, we sat down for a 5-course lunch with wine pairings.  We drank 5 pinots and 1 zinfandel.  The food was AMAZING.  Chef Billy did an outstanding job pairing the food and wines to really accentuate the distinct flavors of each wine.  You'd think tasting 5 pinots may get old -- but with the different foods highlighting different flavors in each, each wine seemed totally unique!  It was also such a joy to hear Billy speak about all of the food components, which largely come from local farms if not straight out of Arista's own garden.

    Truly such a joy to visit.  I would recommend Arista to anyone!

  • Review from heather g.

    • 0 friends
    • 19 reviews

    Burbank, CA

    5.0 star rating
    10/26/2010

    Arista Winery is a FAVORITE!  As friend of The Farmhouse Inn, we stopped into this winery upon their recommendation, and walked away with lots of amazing Pinots.  Billy treated us like VIPs heading to the cellar a number of times to let us taste many of their fine wines... each one was better than the last.  The personal attention given to all of the tasters was a wonderful experience, and no appointment needed!

    Billy, also the executive chef, offers a 5-7 course wine and food pairing in a picnic setting that we'll check out next time for sure.  We'll definitely be back for more fine wines, food, and Billy!

    If you like wine, and being treated like royalty head to Arista!!

  • Review from J K.

    • 6 friends
    • 10 reviews

    Houston, TX

    5.0 star rating
    9/17/2011

    We discovered Arista accidentally; my husband (then-fiance) misheard his sister (who said to check out Artesia) but lo and behold, we came across the Arista website and thought this could be a great place for our wedding.  Living in Texas to plan a wedding in Healdsburg can be a bit stressful, but working with Leslie made the planning process not just easy, it was actually quite fun and delightful.

    The property is gorgeous and if you are willing to have your entire wedding staged outdoors, then it's a perfect venue.  I heard over and over from our guests how beautiful they thought the venue was.  Leslie stayed in contact with us from start to end and was on site the day-of until every last person left.  She even found some valuables left behind and shipped those out to us.  Leslie is calm, patient and has a welcoming demeanor, and did what she could for the benefit of the bride and groom.  There were minor glitches with the wine - she fixed it immediately.  Our rentals couldn't deliver on something; she made them compensate.  She welcomed every vendor and was able to get them all set up and every issue thrown at her was quickly resolved.

    Overall, the wine here is probably a 3+ but I do enjoy their 2008 Longbow and their zinfandel (I didn't even try the white wine) and probably rate those two reds at a 4.  And by the time our guests downed their second glass, it was like a drinking fest more than a wine tasting.

    Nonetheless, if you're thinking about planning a wedding here, then we highly recommend Arista -- it's one heck of a property and offers plenty of opportunities for beautiful photos.  More importantly, we recommend you working with Leslie.  Thank you so much, Arista!

  • Review from Gabi M.

    Phoenix, AZ

    5.0 star rating
    7/17/2010 1 Check-in Here

    Arista Winery was our favorite winery of the ones we visited on our first trip to Sonoma three years ago.  Since then, we've been back twice, and while it's gotten more popular (it was packed today), it's still our favorite!  

    You know they've gotten big when you Google search and see Arista Winery comes before the Arista record label!

    Family owned with extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff, gorgeous grounds, and of course fabulous wine...

    Our first visit years ago, the tasting was free of charge.  Now there are two tasting menu options - one is five bucks and the other, for the premium tasting, is ten.  Either way, it's worth it...

    They are known for their Pinot, but we're also fans of their Gewurztraminer and Syrah.  Mark, manager of day to day operations and assistant winemaker at Arista, is incredibly passionate about what he does and we've connected with him on each of our visits.

    If you're in the area, don't miss a visit to Arista... and if you want to thank me for the rec, feel free to PM me for my shipping address - I'll gladly accept any bottle with the Arista label on it!

  • Review from Toro E.

    • 645 friends
    • 640 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    7/8/2007 4 photos

    Tasting: Free
    Famous for: Pinot Noir
    Worth another visit? Maybe.

    One of those small volume winery selling bottles only on site.  Their Pinot was pretty good.  They best part is that they let you stroll around their nice Japanese garden with a free glass of wine.  People were really nice, so I am sure they'll give you plenty of free pours if your objective is to get loaded.

  • Review from phil h.

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    3/11/2010 1 Check-in Here

    Quite possibly my new favorite winery in Healdsburg!

    It's a bit of a trek from downtown but it's totally worth it - the staff went above and beyond the call of duty handling our somewhat rowdy birthday group. We had a separate area set up outside on the patio and when we were done tasting we were able to pick up some wine and have a picnic right on their grounds. Speaking of wine, everything was well priced and pretty fantastic.

    Special thanks to Andy and Mark for making my birthday a special one!

  • Review from Jessica P.

    Emeryville, CA

    4.0 star rating
    9/30/2008 1 photo

    It's a single vineyard and estate, so you can only get their wines through the club or tasting room.

    They have some great pinots and a wonderful 2007 Anderson Valley Gewurztraminer. I'm really liking the gewurzt these days, but nothing beats a rich, dense pinot in my book...like satin on your tongue.

    It's a small tasting room, family run and friendly. There is a pretty garden bordering the locale and you are free to roam with your glass or lovah and take in the tastes and sites.

    It really was a non-pretentious atmosphere. I think we had about 6 tastes and all were full of flavor and just right for just an evening out on the porch or for a nice sit down dinner.

  • Review from Vanessa J.

    • 0 friends
    • 2 reviews

    Rohnert Park, CA

    5.0 star rating
    11/8/2011

    Had the best time ever here!! It was a beautiful day even though it was Oct 30th. It was the perfect place to take my mom for her 60th bday. She was treated like a queen! The tasting room staff were very friendly and Jeff was awesome. Find him if you plan to go, he is the nicest guy and fun to chat with.

  • Review from Joe B.

    Oakland, CA

    4.0 star rating
    10/3/2008

    ooooh, that Longbow Pinot was good.  Like an arrow shot at long range, it will pierce the thickest armor around your tender taste buds and lodge in your memory.  If I had $48 to spend on one bottle of pinot . . . if I only drank wine once every, say, 2 weeks, this would be in the cellar.

    This was one of our first stops while going north to Mendocino, and well worth it if you're in the area.  That, and the Gewurtz are the main reasons to stop here.  And it's a very attractive tasting room.

    (and you thought I had finished all my winery reviews from my last trip, but I like to keep everyone guessing. ;-) )

  • Review from Josh S.

    • 9 friends
    • 120 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    5/14/2011

    Good all around, family owned and run winery, specializing in Pinot Noir. The tasting is as laid back as it gets (offered second tastings, tasting fee complementary with a purchase, encourage you to take your tastings and ramble around the gardens). Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable and they have a great map of the all the Sonoma viticultural areas, which is great for novices.  The grounds are decent too, but clearly the focus here is the wine.  

    Their story is they bought the vineyard (with the Japanese gardens and all) nearly a decade ago with the owner producing grapes. Then his son returned home a few years later with a eonology degree and they've been making solid Pinots ever since.  

    Five wines tasted, all were good. And now for the details (though we are at height of allergies so are noses weren't perfect):
    - Ferrington Gewurtzaminer - Bright and fresh while remaining dry, a solid entry outside their usual focus, B+.
    - Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - their entry level Pinot and the most robust of the three pinots, almost heavy for a pinot, but certainly not stewed. Good dark fruit flavor with cola and leather, with your standard RRV flavor profile B.
    - La Cruz Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir - their lightest and most acidic.  I like my Pinots more elegant and almost herbal, but this one was almost a rose and a wonderful nose that doesn't quite match the mouth flavor, B-.
    - Bacigalupi Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - A firm but supple drink.  Plenty of raspberry fruit at the front with some subtle herbs at the end.  The most complex, essentially adding on to their estate pinot with vanilla, herb, and spice.  Great mouth feel.  It's not difficult to figure out this is the bottle we took home, A-.
    - Russian River Syrah - Solid, robust and round and full of plum and chocolate, B.    

    Negatives:
    - The wine was a little frothy. It's normal to have a few bubbles but not for them to hang around a few minutes.  Sometimes this means the nitrogen balance is off a touch, but it didn't noticeably affect the taste or finish. (And yes this is nit-picking)
    - The price.  Don't get me wrong. These were consistently good wines, but compare to other Pinot specialists, La Crema has a equivilant entry level Pinot ~$20.  Just saying the price point for their wine is on higher side.

    Overall:
    Another solid Pinot Noir specialist in Russian River.  Doesn't set itself apart from the pack, but is certainly worth a stop if you want to explore Pinots from across the Sonoma Coast and Russian River.

  • Review from Larry M.

    Valencia, CA

    3.0 star rating
    10/23/2008

    ***My winery/tasting room reviews are rated based upon many factors.  First is QPR or quality to price ratio of the wine.  In other words, is the wine priced according to how good it is.  The second factor is the tasting room experience.  This involves the staff, grounds and anything unique about the winery.***

    Date Visited: Late 2008
    Tasting room fee: $5/$10reserve (not refundable with purchase)
    Wine price range: $25-$48

    Our first visit in the Russian River Valley.  This is a beautiful winery with great grounds and a garden to wander through.  The tasting room is small but the staff is friendly.

    We skip the whites and end up tasting about 3 wines.  I am a bit put off by the $5 tasting fee, really it is the point.  They do not even refund upon purchase (do they think they are in Napa?).  

    Anyway, I spent a boatload of money on this trip already, so at this point I am only picking up wines I think are a good value.  I really liked their Cab Franc.  Had they refunded the tasting fee I would have walked out of there with a bottle or two.  Most of their wines I felt were a bit overpriced and still were a little young to be tasting.  

    I would not avoid visiting in the future, but there are many other places I would visit before returning.

  • Review from Don G.

    • 9 friends
    • 197 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    8/1/2011

    Done right.  Nice grounds and good wine.  Perfect for picnic.

  • Review from Alisha T.

    • 45 friends
    • 38 reviews

    Pomona, CA

    4.0 star rating
    7/27/2010

    This was my first wine tasting, so take my review with a grain of salt. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. Their picnic area is nice, and the garden is small but gorgeous; definitely take the time to walk around while you enjoy your wine. Everyone was very friendly and informative, and even though they closed at 5:30, they were perfectly okay with letting us stay past that without rushing us.

    We ended up buying a bottle of their Pinot noir and somehow managed to forget to pay the tasting fee. I called back, but they just told  us to be more careful next time. As I'm not a particularly big fan of wine, I probably wouldn't go again, but I would recommend Arista to anyone who is looking for a place to go.

  • Review from John D.

    • 28 friends
    • 79 reviews

    Oakland, CA

    4.0 star rating
    6/29/2008

    Great tasting room and grounds and really good wine.

    I bought some of the Gewurztraminer a case of the Longbow Pinot.

    Oh and this is the spot to have your picnic lunch, check out the tables to the right out front.

  • Review from jim h.

    • 67 friends
    • 151 reviews

    Pasadena, CA

    5.0 star rating
    7/17/2010 1 photo

    Opened a bottle of 2006 Pinot we had been saving and it BLEW MY MIND!  Excellent wine; in fact, I did not realize wine can be this delicious.  Definitely worth driving another 20-30 minutes north to Healdsburg (also beats the standard fare of Napa and Sonoma).  

    Back when we purchased the bottle, driving around the tiny side roads, we passed by Arista, thinking it was just a fancy name.  But believe me, Yelpers, Arista Winery truly is "the best".

  • Review from Gina M.

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    5/10/2011

    Love this place! The wine is really really yummy and the place gorgeous! Definitely head here on a nice day. The tasting room is pretty small but the grounds are sooo pretty. There are a bunch of places to sit outside and also an outdoor wine bar on nice weekends. Can't wait to go back and spend more time here!

  • Review from Pete R.

    • 61 friends
    • 168 reviews

    San Diego, CA

    5.0 star rating
    6/18/2009

    Superb winery. Located in the Russian River Valley on the back roads of Sonoma, Arista makes some outstanding pinot noirs. (The Longbow was my favorite pick from our entire weekend in Sonoma.) Tastings are fun in the winery's idyllic setting, with a fireplace inside and a Japanese-style garden outside, all presiding over a rolling view of the valley.

    The staff is friendly and the wine is awesome - Arista is definitely a place to stop in Sonoma.

  • Review from Mike I.

    • 15 friends
    • 217 reviews

    Santa Rosa, CA

    3.0 star rating
    5/19/2008

    Definitely a good place to stop. When we pulled in, we were greeted by a beautifully manicured garden and spotlessly clean tasting room. Just entering the parking lot, you will know this is the kind of winery that charges for tasting. Someone has to pay to keep this place up, so I don't think that it's unfair. $5 is definitely the lowest charge that I have seen in a place that charges, so they aren't gouging. On the other hand, they are only giving three tastes, which is also on the low end of what I would expect.

    The Gewurztraminer was surprisingly dry and flavorful. The two pinots were both very good (I preferred the Longbow). The nice thing about paying for tasting is that I don't feel obligated to purchase anything. I enjoyed my tasting, took note of what I liked and left without feeling I had somehow short changed the winery.

    If they poured more than 3 tastes or didn't charge for tasting, I think this place would be a 4 or 5 star. Still, a very solid place to come on the Westside road tour. Wines in the $35-50 per bottle range.

  • Review from Peter and Julie H.

    • 34 friends
    • 114 reviews

    San Jose, CA

    3.0 star rating
    9/14/2008

    Wine:
    Slightly above-average wines, with a stand-out Cabernet Franc: "2006 Mark David Cabernet Franc, Pine Mountain Vineyard".  While the nose was not our favorite due to green vegetable characteristics, the mouth feel and flavor were incredible: Velvet-soft tannins, and nice complexity.
    Other:
    The winery was nicely situated on a hill, with a fun Japanese rock garden that added lots of ambiance.  The small yet cozy tasting room complete with fireplace was inviting.

  • Review from Aaron J. C.

    • 28 friends
    • 10 reviews

    Novato, CA

    5.0 star rating
    7/24/2009

    We were driving through the Russian River Valley and stopped at a few wineries.  One of the other tasting rooms suggested we visit Arista, and I am so glad we did!  The location is gorgeous, the staff very knowledgeable and friendly and the wines were great.
    Andy was pouring the day we stopped by and he was amazing, he knew the wine with out being pretentious or over Bering.  During the tasting he suggested we take some time and tour the Japanese gardens there.  We were so glad we did, he even took a few minutes to come out and explain how the gardens came to be.
    Arista is a must on any Russian River Valley wine tasting day!

  • Review from Katie D.

    • 21 friends
    • 182 reviews

    Virginia Beach, VA

    4.0 star rating
    2/10/2011

    This winery is amazingly beautiful!  It's a japanese garden, so it's nice to walk around and just enjoy being outside.  The wine wasn't memorable (I don't recall loving or hating it)....but it's worth it just to see the grounds!

  • Review from Kate N.

    • 33 friends
    • 70 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/26/2011

    Great time at Arista. The wines were good but nothing that absolutely knocks your socks off, a solid 3 stars for the wine. The tasting room is small but casual and the staff is friendly & informative. The pinots are goodbut not exactly cheap and we came away with one bottle. The property is interesting with an Asian influence. The gardens are really nice and it's worth walking around to check it out. There was also an outside bar area that they use when it's nice out but unfortunately we weren't able to take advantage of this. A great view of the surrounding countryside with rolling hills and vines, a great spot to have some lunch. Basically I'd go to this place if it was summery and picnicy but maybe not otherwise. Or if you're a pinot fan, that is the main attraction (fairly standard for Russian River but gets a little blah).

  • Review from Kevan M.

    Emeryville, CA

    4.0 star rating
    2/15/2011

    The standout features at this winery are the beautiful grounds and manicured japanese gardens. Very pleasant! Arista is a fantastic picnicking spot. We tried a Pinot Gris, 3 Pinot Noirs, & a Zinfandel. They were all very tasty. Though, at the pricepoint, I expected a bit more WOW factor. I liked our pourer. He was a younger dude & a little bit goofy. Good job Arista!

  • Review from A K.

    • 2 friends
    • 87 reviews

    Lutz, FL

    3.0 star rating
    6/6/2011

    We saw it on our drive and decided to stop in. It was fairly busier than all the other wineries we went to that day but we were greeted immediately and offered a tasting. The grounds were beautiful and the views very nice. We tasted 5-6 wines but didn't find anything worth buying. The customer service was nice but I doubt I'd come back.

  • Review from Tammy M.

    • 0 friends
    • 27 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    4/18/2011

    Great experience. Got a tip from Ridge Cellars to visit here for excellent pinot. We were not disappointed. Gorgeous gardens and great staff. Wine rocked--sent home a case.  Knowledgable staff and friendly as well. Felt like hanging at someone's house (with expensive landscapers--gardens were something to see!!).

    Thumbs up and we will be back for sure!

  • Review from Samantha B.

    • 2 friends
    • 30 reviews

    Santa Rosa, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/12/2011

    I had a great time at this tasting, very small but the pourer was wonderful! He was super friendly and even pulled out a map and marked his favorite wineries in the area for us to take with us. As for the wines the only one I remember was a Pinot Grigio that tasted like a peach gummy. Tasty!

  • Review from Helen Y.

    • 387 friends
    • 975 reviews

    Pacific Heights, San Francisco, CA

    4.0 star rating
    4/5/2009

    i recommend doing your tasting outdoors in the back garden area. plenty of picnic tables too to have a lovely group lunch. it was a beautiful day today and we were lucky to enjoy it with 6 other friends.

    wine + sun + food = good times!

  • Review from Alex C.

    • 40 friends
    • 254 reviews

    San Francisco, CA

    5.0 star rating
    11/16/2006

    This a stunning tasting room with very good Pinots. They will evidently move to winemaking here in an adjacent facility in the coming year or so. It is a great stop off West Dry Creek when making a Russian River Valley/ Dry Creek Valley wine tour.

  • Review from E E.

    • 0 friends
    • 17 reviews

    Menlo Park, CA

    3.0 star rating
    3/24/2011

    The tasting room is in an old barn and different artists are featured on their walls.  We weren't that impressed with the wines we tried, but tastes differ.  We were also somewhat rushed through the tasting, which didn't enrich the experience.

    Was this review …?

    Comment from Mark M. of Arista Winery 4/8/2011   
    EE, I appreciate your comments but I want to be certain you… More »
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