Navarro Vineyards - 2012 Riesling

2012 Riesling
Late Harvest
Anderson Valley, Mendocino

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Ugly duckling turned into a swan

Every time we think about producing a late harvest wine, it brings a smile to our face, in part, because of how glorious these luscious nectars taste. We are not chuckling because of easy winemaking or profits; late harvest wines don't provide either. Our laughter is because the grapes from which we produce this wine were rotten and when we started making wine in the 70's, we didn't appreciate that all rots are not created equally. In fact, we threw botrytised grapes away! It's understandable since rotten grapes are so ugly. But botrytis is the one rot that German winemakers have appreciated for more than a century; infected berries eventually shrivel, which concentrates the grapes sugars, acids and flavors and simultaneously adds layers of honey and apricot. When we dump botrytis-affected Riesling into the destemmer, clouds of rot-spores fill the air; Navarro's crew wears masks to protect their lungs.		Riesling after October rains have started rot. Riesling berries are light green in color and there still are a few in the photo that aren't rotten yet. The berries turn a brownish color when infected. As the berries begin to shrivel, the mold becomes obvious. The more the berries shrivel, the more concentrated the flavors. During harvest, we sometimes show rotten Riesling to customers in the tasting room; we remember one horrified customer who exclaimed she wouldn't feed those grapes to a hog; after tasting the Late Harvest Riesling, she was awed at the transformation and purchased twelve bottles. Gold Medal winner.

Specifications
Harvested:	Oct. 20 to Nov. 25, 2012	Sugars at harvest:	28.8° Brix
Bottled:	May 10, 2013	Cases produced:	580
Alcohol:	12.5%	Residual sugars:	7.5%
Titratable acidity:	8.8 g/L	pH:	3.22

2007 Late Harvest White Riesling

Navarro's streak continues, with this gorgeous effort packed with ripe green apple and honey, hay scents on the nose, and a ton of sweet late-harvest character, all defined by a high-acid focus. The dense, sumptuous fruit is cut by an almost electric energy all through. - Jon Bonné,Top 100 Wines, San Francisco Chronicle, December 7, 2008.

Gorgeous nose of concentrated apricot, sweet green apple and honey, with floral notes. Focused, dense and almost limpid - definitely late-harvest sweetness, but with good balancing acidity. - Lynne Char Bennett, San Francisco Chronicle, November 7, 2008.

2004 Late Harvest White Riesling

…Also awesome is the regular ’04 Late Harvest Riesling. - Dan Berger Vintage Experiences, November 10, 2005.

2000 Vineyard Select White Riesling

Aromatic and sweet, with Bartlett pear, nectarine and honey. Nice balancing acidity. - Laurie Daniel, San Jose Mercury News, August 29, 2001.

This wine has a lovely honeyed botrytis, with flavors of fig, apricot and a touch of grapefruit rind. It's sticky sweet, but the rich honeyed flavors are very nicely balanced with crisp acid, and the long finish reminds me of dried apricots. - Carol Shelton, California Wine Magazine, State Fair 2001.

1999 Vineyard Select White Riesling

Terrific beginner wine for dessert drinks. Medium-bodied, moderately complex, slightly sweet, balanced acidity, little or no oak. Light gold with aromas of butterscotch, custard and marzipan. Flavors of fruitcake, golden raisin, honey, pear and pecan. Balanced, creamy, soft and vibrant. - Leslie Sbrocco, The New York Times on the Web, April 23, 2001.

1998 White Riesling Late Harvest

Has 10.5% Residual Sugar. Sweet apricot and pineapple on the nose continue onto the rich palate which adds peach and honey. The finish is medium to long. Overall, the wine has nice balance and retains enough acidity to prevent it from becoming cloying and maintain good structure and balance. - Colorado Wine News, January-March 2001.

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