Navarro Vineyards - 2012 Chardonnay

2012 Chardonnay
  Mendocino
  (750 ml) - Sold Out!
  (375 ml) - Sold Out!

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Foodie friendly

If you chance upon a bottle of Navarro Chardonnay in a restaurant, it probably is this bottling which we label as Mendocino Chardonnay. It's a well-made, award-winning wine, priced below twenty bucks, produced from top tier Mendocino vineyards, but there's more to the story. Navarro's Mendocino Chardonnay pairs beautifully with most food dishes. It is a blend of Chardonnay produced two ways: half with a secondary fermentation and half without. This second fermentation converts malic acid into lactic acid, softening the wine and adding buttery richness. Forgoing malolactic fermentation on half the wine keeps the acidity high and the buttery tones subtle, so the wine has a crisp finish and a fruit-driven structure. The wine was aged in seasoned French barrels and ovals so that oak flavors, like the buttery element, are delicate and understated but not simple. Navarro's Tasting Room Chardonnay field a few months after replanting in spring 2011. Eighteen month earlier we had contracted with a nursery to produce 15,000 Chardonnay plants grafted onto rootstocks that weren't susceptible to phylloxera, a root louse. We protect young vines from rabbit and rodent damage by enclosing them in reusable grow tubes.		Jim Klein drawing a Chardonnay sample. We age our Mendocino Chardonnay in seasoned oak barrels and puncheons so that the wines can quietly age on the lees without picking up heavy oak flavors. The grapes were grown in three distinct Mendocino appellations; the Potter Valley fruit has a ripe stone-fruit quality, the Ukiah Valley fruit tastes of spring herbs and apples, and the Anderson Valley fruit, three quarters of the total bottling, has citrus-pear flavors. Rather than fermenting in stainless steel tanks, then filtering a wine squeaky clean, we aged the wine sur lie in oak, so that the wine clarified naturally with a round, polished texture. Spicy Asian pear and citrus flavors are topped off with a bright, lemon-verbena finish. Gold Medal winner. Best of Class. Blending trials to craft this Chardonnay took over a week since there were numerous components to judge.

Specifications
Harvested:	Oct. 6 to 20, 2012	Sugars at harvest:	23.8° Brix
Bottled:	June 18 to 24, 2013	Cases produced:	5577
Alcohol:	13.8%	Titratable acidity:	7.4 g/L
pH:	3.40

2021 Chardonnay, Mendocino

92 Points. “This is Navarro’s bright and breezy Chardonnay, made for fans of oaky character that runs up to the line but doesn’t go over the top. Baked apple and wood spice are firing on all cylinders, but bracing acidity keeps things well knit together. I’m leaning toward saucy seafood as a pairing for this.” —Rich Cook, Wine Review Online

90 Points. “Delicate aromas waft out of the glass, including green apple, lemon, lime and baby's breath. Though the nose is a bit shy, the palate is more assertive. It layers on additional flavors of grassy earthiness and a wet-stone minerality, adding nuanced complexity to this light white wine. Elevated acidity gives a beautiful midpalate lift and allows for a lingering finish.” —Stacy Briscoe, Wine Enthusiast

2017 Mendocino Chardonnay

"This fresh-tasting wine from one of Mendocino's most reliable wineries has vivid apple and pear aromas, ripe and fruity flavors and very little oakiness to get in the way. A bit on the soft side in texture, it's easy to sip." Wine Enthusiast magazine

"A favorite producer of mine, and a severely underrated Chardonnay maker at that. This is their mid-line offering, but there’s nothing middling about it. Balanced citrus, peach and apple aromas and flavors show off the region, and ride a wave of freshening acidity through a long finish where a subtle kiss of oak spice pops nicely. Eminently quaffable!" WineReviewOnline.com

2015 Mendocino Chardonnay

This is a sturdy straightforward wine with good balance between medium body and lively acidity, while showing mild apple and citrus Flavors. Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, November 1, 2017.

Strong all around, but especially on palate with forward, well-balanced fruit, light oak and notable integration. John Vankat, Arizona Daily Sun, July 13, 2017.

2014 Mendocino Chardonnay

Fruity and buttery aromas join pear and baking-spice flavors to create plenty to enjoy from this medium bodied and soft-textured wine. Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, August , 2016.

2013 Mendocino Chardonnay

It’s easy to appreciate the buttery aromas, vivid and tangy fruit like crisp apples and Bosc pears, and lively texture with appetizing acidity, elegance and raciness. It’s not a big wine but a finely detailed one. Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, December 1, 2015.

2012 Mendocino Chardonnay

This white gold colored Chardonnay is very good. It opens with a fragrant pear bouquet with hints of honey, oak and lemon. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, acidic and crisp. The flavor profile is a pear and oak blend with notes of lemon butter. The finish is dry and its flavors are nicely prolonged. This Chardonnay is food friendly and would pair well with a chicken and wild mushroom ravioli with a light cream sauce. EnjoyKen Hoggins,www.KensWineGuide.com, March 14, 2015.

2010 Mendocino Chardonnay

In the past, the winery made a Mendocino appellation Chardonnay from a mix of Anderson Valley and Potter Valley fruit. But in 2010, all of the fruit is sourced from the Anderson Valley. This is fleshy, soft and lush, bearing grapefruit and fig flavors that are wrapped in a tightly focused package with a bright finish. Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast, March 1, 2013.

2009 Mendocino Chardonnay

One of two chardonnays it makes, the Mendocino bottling has grapes from both the cool Anderson Valley and the warmer Potter Valley. Stainless-steel-fermented, this wine has an array of green apple, pear, mango and citrus fruits with a crisp backbone of acidity.Pamela S. Busch,San Francisco Examiner, July 21, 2011.

2008 Mendocino Chardonnay

This pale yellow colored Chard is a very nice offering from Navarro. It opens with a mild green apple bouquet. On the palate, this wine is light bodied, balanced, and easy to drink. The flavor profile is a gentle green pear with a touch of lemon. The finish is dry and quite refreshing. This is a food friendly Chard that would pair well with lemon thyme chicken off the grill. Try some this summer. Enjoy - Ken Ken Hoggins,www.KensWineGuide.com, July 9, 2010.

2007 Mendocino Chardonnay

Aged is older French oak and has a nose of apple custard. Flavors of mostly lemon and apple are light bodied and fresh with a hint of sweetness. The medium-broad, medium-long finish adds light spice at the sides. Well done and a Good Value.Harold Baer, www.haroldbaerwine.com, February 8, 2011.

2006 Mendocino Chardonnay

A very nice Chard that, at seven bucks less than the winery's Premier Reserve, is nearly as good. Dry and crisp in acidity, it has rich honey, pineapple and smoke flavors. How can a wine taste like honey and be dry? It's called magic Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast, November 15, 2008.

2005 Mendocino Chardonnay

Fresh earth, mineral and lemony citrus scents are crisp and vibrant, with a pippin apple flavor adding dimension. Clean, refreshing and focused on the finish. - James Laube, Wine Spectator, December 31, 2007.

2002 Mendocino Chardonnay

A rich, spicy wine, with tangerine, nectarine and ripe pear flavors that are clean and refreshing, ending in a flash of citrus. Drink now. - James Laube, Wine Spectator, December 15, 2004.

The 2002 Chardonnay is a refreshing change of pace from the oaky, buttery school of wine making. It has fine fruit, with a creamy and appley nose, good acidity and a very light body. - Leonard Maran, San Francisco Spectrum, July 2004.

2001 Mendocino Chardonnay

Sweet and smoky, this raspy chardonnay has the flavor of a grilled peach. Under the toastiness, there’s a green edge, like a fresh sugar snap pea. Chill it for salmon. - Wine & Spirits, "American New Releases", December 2003.

Smart Buy – An excellent value in a pure, fruit-driven style. Fragrant, with citrus blossom, cedar and pear aromas, and a tight, creamy core of lemon, fig and nectarine flavors that are rich, elegant and lively. Drink now through 2006. - Wine Spectator, "New Releases", December 15, 2003.

Apple sauce scents introduce this simple, pleasant chardonnay, its juicy fruit balanced by a prickle of acidity. For the cocktail hour. - Wine & Spirits, "Chardonnay New Releases", April 2003.

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