What sets Méthode à l'Ancienne Pinot Noir apart is its focus on showcasing the pure expression of the grape reflecting its Philo terroir. Our first harvest of Pinot Noir was in 1978; four vintages later a winemaker from an old Burgundian family sampled our 1982 Pinot Noir wines directly from the barrel. We were comparing two fermentation methods: using modern stainless-steel pumps and the traditional Burgundian approach of manual mixing (pigeage) by hand (in our case) or feet. After trying the pumped wine, he offered polite comments but confessed it felt "manipulated." However, upon tasting the punched-down wine, he smiled, sighed and exclaimed, “Ah, now I taste the vineyard.” He recommended aging our estate Pinot in different barrels—ones that match oak flavors to the fruit's profile, creating a harmonious fusion. In the following vintage, hand-punched-down wine, aged in the recommended barrels, became Navarro's first Méthode à l'Ancienne Pinot Noir.

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