2022 Pinot Gris, Anderson Valley
90 points. Editors’ Choice. “This Pinot Gris honors its Alsatian heritage, while truly speaking to its Anderson Valley terroir. Bright, engaging flavors of grass, grapefruit zest, just-ripe pineapple and a hint of capsicum make the mouth water alongside the generous acidity. A beautifully rounded, medium body fills the palate with a glossy texture. The finish lingers with additional notes of white peach and the floral-meets-spice of white pepper.” —Stacy Briscoe, Wine Enthusiast
96 points. Platinum. “Wow! This is always a great bottle, but this might be one of the best ever when it comes to Pinot Gris from Navarro. Just a faint hint of residual sugar serves to brighten everything in a way that amplifies. This is like drinking a beautiful flower arrangement with some stone fruit, apple and citrus mixed in – if you open one in a group of four people I would estimate it will be empty in about three minutes. Just another boffo wine from Navarro.” —Rich Cook, Wine Review Online
2021 Pinot Gris, Anderson Valley
92 points. “Subtle fruit flavors and a slightly tangy yet smooth texture highlight this well-balanced wine that's comfortable and appetizing at the same time. Bosc pear, white peach and subtle rose-petal nuances fill the palate.” —Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast
2020 Pinot Gris, Anderson Valley
92 points. Editors’ Choice. “Crystal clear fruit and floral flavors give this medium-bodied wine great focus and purity, while a polished texture and nicely balanced acidity keep it tantalizing. Fuji apple and white-peach notes keep developing on the sip.” —Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast
“This pale white gold colored Pinot Gris from Navarro opens with a mild white peach bouquet with a hint of cantaloupe and Meyer lemon. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with nice balanced acidity. It is also smooth and nicely coats your mouth. The flavor profile is mild lemon and pineapple blend with notes of almond. We also detected hints of ginger ale, chamomile tea, and chalky minerality. The finish is dry and its flavors drift away nicely. The Panel would pair this food friendly Pinot Gris with grilled white perch or pan-seared scallops with asparagus risotto. Enjoy.” —Ken’s Wine Guide, October 1, 2021
2019 Pinot Gris, Anderson Valley
92 points. Editors’ Choice. “Very aromatic and bright, this charming wine overflows with aromas of lemon blossoms and crisp apples, offers fresh citrus flavors and great balance. It's refreshing and vibrant.” —Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast
2018 Pinot Gris
"Ripe and lively apple and pear flavors seem to light up this medium-bodied, fresh and well-balanced wine. It has a citrus tang supporting peach and crisp apple notes, and will be a perfect aperitif or pairing with seafood." Wine Enthusiast magazine
2017 Pinot Gris
"This white gold colored Pinot Gris from Navarro opens with a fragrant lime zest and green apple bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium to full bodied, round and zesty. The flavor profile is a mineral infused Anjou pear with notes of saline and almond with a hint of green apple. The finish is dry and refreshing." KensWineReviews.com
"Though floral and fruity, this wine tastes absolutely dry and refreshing from the first whiff of crisp green apple to the generous white-peach and apricot flavors and through the lingering vibrant finish. Great acidity gives wonderful balance to this elegant wine." Wine Enthusiast magazine
2015 Pinot Gris
"Smooth and graceful, subtle and delicious, this wine comes from an old pro with Alsace varietals and shows a deft touch and great balance. Wonderful peach and Bosc pear flavors mingle on a smooth texture and linger on the finish." Wine Enthusiast magazine
2014 Pinot Gris
Yet another
Navarro that impresses with its core characteristics, this well-made Pinot Gris reminds me of those coming out of Oregon. A bit light on color and aromas, it is more forward on fruit flavors that are well-balanced with attractive crispness.John Vankat, Arizona Daily Sun, January 11, 2017.
2014 Pinot Gris
Yet another Navarro that impresses with its core characteristics, this well-made Pinot Gris reminds me of those coming out of Oregon. A bit light on color and aromas, it is more forward on fruit flavors that are well-balanced with
attractive crispness.John Vankat, Arizona Daily Sun, January 11, 2017.
2014 Pinot Gris
Orange-blossom aromas and lush, broad flavors like banana and pineapple make a good combo in this medium-bodied, soft and richly textured wine. It fermented in oval wood casks and aged eight months on the
lees.
Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, November 1,2016.
2013 Pinot Gris
A substantive wine, this is on the richer and more full-bodied side for a white. With floral, honeyed aromas and tasty, spicy apple skin and cinnamon flavors, it coats the palate with generous flavors that linger on the finish.
Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, May 1,2015.
A classic Alsace style that calls for a few years
(2-3) to gain the depth to work as a complete wine. - Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, December 11, 2014.
2012 Pinot Gris
Rich but lively and dry, this wine packs a potpourri of spices and citrus fruits in its aromas and flavors, carrying them through to a lingering finish. Substantial and appetizing as an apéritif and excellent with seafood. Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, August 1,2014.
This white offers appealing flavors of yellow apple and ripe pear
on a medium body, with refreshing acidity. Features details of
fresh ginger on the finish. Drink now. MaryAnn Worobiec , .Wine Spectator, June 30, 2014.
2011 Pinot Gris
This cool-climate Pinot Gris is balanced and light, and it offers
refreshing layers of citrus, almond and peach. It will pair with goat
cheese and seafood-based appetizers, and it will also be enjoyed on its
own. Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast, April 1,2013.
2010 Pinot Gris
lively, fresh and fragrant Laurie Daniel, San Jose Mercury News , March 21, 2012.
2009 Pinot Gris
Almond, qumce and honey flavors have a lime-infused finish.- Editors of Food and Wine and Mary G. Burnham, 2012 Food and Wine Wine Guide, ,.
Honey and rose petal up-front, followed by grilled pineapple, orange and
melon. Each smell and flavor is distinct. Each sip is divine.Ben Weinberg, Tasting Panel, October,2011.
A nutty pinot gris with pecan and pear flavors, this is a clean and simple white to chill for summer evenings on the deck.. - Wine & Spirit Magazines, Web Only.
This rich, sweetly fruity and creamy wine is almost dessert-like. It has vibrant tropical fruit and peach flavors that taste like they were baked into a pie. But it’s also very acidic, and the finish is dry. Great as a cocktail sipper; try with Thai and Vietnamese fareSteve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast, March 1,2011.
This pale yellow colored Pinot Gris from Navarro won our first blind
tasting for this grape. It opens with a fragrant tangerine and ripe Bartlett pear bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied and shows harmonious acidity. The flavor profile is a tasty Bartlett pear with notes of melon and just a hint of minerality. The finish is dry and refreshing. The panel thought this would pair well with chicken Caesar salad.
Enjoy Ken Hoggins, KensWineGuide.com, November 14, 2010.
Delicate spice of stone fruit and dried pear; dry entry, but fairly rich. A superb cool-climate version. - Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, July 22, 2010.
2008 Pinot Gris
Nicely spicy, with ripe apple, pear and lemon flavors that have a crunchy acidity and good follow-through on the finish. Drink now. 1,706 cases made.Maryann Worobiec, Wine Spectator, Web Only 2010.
Wine of the Week. A complex pinot gris with bright aromas and flavors. Notes of lemon, lime, mineral and spice. Lush texture. Peg Melnik, Press Democrat, , February 24, 2010.
2007 Pinot Gris
If you like Pinot Gris with lots of character and flare this offering will impress you. It opens with a light green apple like bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, and slightly creamy. There are irresistible Anjou pear flavors with a touch of pineapple and minerality blended in as well. The finish is dry and mouthwatering. This very food friendly wine would pair very well with halibut. Enjoy – Ken Hoggins, KensWineGuide.com, May 13, 2009.
Perfectly fills the need in California for a bone-dry, racy white wine. Acidity is the star here, enriched with savory lemon and lime zest, grilled pineapple, pepper and mineral flavors. After all the oak and super sweetness of too many wines, it makes you want to sing and dance.
Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast, October, 2008.
2005 Pinot Gris
THREE STARS - It has gorgeous tangerine, grapefruit and mineral aromatics and a palate that's medium-full and dry, with green apple, pear and citrus flavors. There is a softness of fruit and a firmness of acidity that gives it intriguing balance. Available at the winery only. - Linda Murphy, San Francisco Chronicle, August 3, 2006.
Exceptional. Spiced (a bit like Gewürz) with peach and other stone fruit, and a very rich entry that’s nonetheless dry. A near-perfect rendition of an often-thin wine. - Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, June 22, 2006.
2004 Pinot Gris
Top 100 Wines of 2005. The nose is subtle. Yet has true depth of flavor – melon, fig, mint, muskmelon and tangerine. Complex and balanced. - San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, December 4, 2005.
Exceptional. Faint copper hue in color; a simply astounding aroma of pear, spiced melon, and a hint of clove. Succulent but dry entry, medium-bodied, and great for Asian foods. - Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, July 21, 2005.
2003 Pinot Gris
Exceptional. Elegant tropical fruit and pear aroma with hints of white pepper and other spices. Dry, yet succulent. - Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, August 26, 2004.
2002 Pinot Gris
Refreshingly vibrant, with lovely floral aromas of creamy nectarine, with a touch of fresh grain and fennel. Crisp, dry and intense, with pear and orange fruit and a finish that fans out. - Wine Spectator, May 15, 2004.
2001 Pinot Gris
Once again, Navarro comes through with the best Pinot Gris in California - and one of the best anywhere. They grow this beautiful wine to a potent ripeness, while the harmony and balance keep it all of a piece. It's generous, yielding an apple-blossom scent, assertive white peach flavor, absinthe complexity - a wine that chardonnay drinkers would love, even if it is not oaky, and not at all like chardonnay. Instead it is like biting into a fresh fruit up in the Anderson Valley hills. - Joshua Greene and Patrick Comiskey, Wine & Spirits, December 2002.
2000 Pinot Gris
Just what you want Pinot Gris to be. Tart and apple-lemony, but with enough richness to satisfy. Strikes the perfect balance of sugar and acid, with an ultraclean finish that leaves a fresh, spicy feeling on the palate. - Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, December 15, 2001.
But the best pinot gris we found this month came from Anderson Valley, where Navarro grows the grape in its Philo vineyards. While their 2000 whites show beautifully across the board, this pinot gris is a standout for its richness and spice, in parallel with an Alsace style. - Wine & Spirits Magazine, February 2002.
Bright citrus and nectarine flavors. Very aromatic and pretty. - Laurie Daniel, San Jose Mercury News, August 29, 2001.
Amazingly bright pear, clove and gardenia aroma in a round, soft, and yet still crisp white wine. Nearly bone dry with rich blossom-y notes in the finish. To be released in November and not to be missed. - Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences, July 26, 2001.
For the first time, a white won the competition. It's the lean, vibrant and refreshing Navarro Vineyards 2000 Anderson Valley Pinot Gris, which shows with a crisp and angular fruitiness that this struggling Italian variety may have a future in California after all, especially when the grapes are grown in a cool area such as Mendocino County's Anderson Valley. - Sacramento Bee, August 22, 2001.
Navarro’s white wine vineyards were blessed in 2000 with a cool, late harvest- this pinot gris came in on the 20th of September. The modest, slowly maturing crop provided the sort of richness of an Alsace pinot gris that you rarely encounter in the grape from the Pacific coast, unless you open this bottle. It has that texture, and the fruit to fill it completely. You’ll find brown spices, nutmeg and mace adding complexity to the golden ripeness of the grapes. And to balance the almond paste density, there’s a brisk, saline acidity that keeps the wine racy. A great pour with choucroute while people-watching in Strasbourg or with knockwurst watching the Giants. - Joshua Greene, Wine & Spirits Magazine, February 2002.
When an oval needed a repair last year we had to ship it to France; few obstacles are too daunting in the pursuit of fine wine. "Exceptional. Spiced with peach and other stone fruit, and a very rich entry that's nonetheless dry. A near-perfect rendition of an often-thin wine." -VintageExperiences.com
Storm clouds threaten the Pinot Gris harvest on Middle Ridge and pickers take a break from the frenzied pace. Once the rain sets in no trucks or tractors should enter the field.