The desirable scenario for Navarro's late harvest Gewürztraminer is a temperate ripening season with a vineyard in a cool site that ripens late. We hope to have the berries get overripe, which weakens Gewürz's notoriously tough skins, followed by several days of cool, humid weather from either light rain or fog. It's a grape grower's gamble to let grapes rot on the vine without intervening. In addition to the desired botrytis cinerea mold, there are many other fungi that aren't desirable; over decades we've lost tons of fruit from vinegar rot and more frequently to aspergillus, sometimes called “black mold.” Overripe fruit attracts all kinds of critters, from turkeys to bears, so as the season progresses there is less for us to harvest. This 2019 stunner is the last we've been able to produce due to years of drought and it won't disappoint. Gold Medal winner. Best of Show. 95 points.