We’re so lucky to be so close with so many extraordinary wineries. Amista Vineyards is somewhat new to us, but they’ve been offering us their very best wines - like today’s Amista Vineyards 2015 Dry Creek Valley Morningsong Vineyards Chardonnay. This limited-availability wine is a must-have for Chardonnay lovers.

This Chardonnay shimmers beautifully in the glass like a light green amethyst gemstone. The perfumed nose is lovely, with clean bright fruit notes of pear, apple, and nectarine with subtle lime citrus and big floral aroma of jasmine. Bright fruit reigns on the palate as well with nice slate minerality reminiscent of Viognier, white peach, fresh apricot, red apple, and lemon-lime citrus. If you love a lean style Chard, this is the one for you. There’s no butter, oak, or yeast flavor to be found, instead regaling your palate with bright, fresh, clean, delicious, fruit-forward flavor. Beautiful. Perfect for meals that you would typically reserve for Viognier. Try it with a spicy Asian stir fry and you’ll see what we mean.

The Dry Creek Valley AVA in northeastern Sonoma (north of Healdsburg) County is somewhat warmer and wetter than the neighboring Russian River Valley AVA region just to the south, and the Alexander Valley AVA just to the east. The warmer and wetter climate provides great versatility with regard to the types of grapes that can be effectively cultivated in the region.