Navarro Vineyards - 2021 Pinot Noir

2021 Pinot Noir
Méthode à l'Ancienne
Anderson Valley, Mendocino
- (750 ml) $39.00
- (750 ml Unfiltered) $39.00
- (375 ml) Sold Out!
- (1.5L Magnum) $79.00

Stacked in your favor

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.

Our cellar is small so we have to stack barrels, two per cradle and four high. Much easier to hoist with a forklift.

Alfredo adding sulfur dioxide gas to empty barrels during storage to prevent unwanted mold. Before the barrel is reused, rotating jets of hot water spray the barrel's interior removing the SO₂.

While this wine does feature expensive oak flavors, they complement the vineyard's character without overpowering it, making the underlying flavors subtler than wine aged in toastier barrels with smoky oak perfume. We age both the Deep End cuvée and the Méthode à l'Ancienne in French oak barrels, about a third new for this bottling. The Deep End remains in the barrel for 16 months, while the Méthode remains for 10 months so that the fruit-driven elements remain bright. Gold Medal winner.

Specifications

Harvested: Sept. 13 - 30, 2021
Sugars at harvest: 25.2° Brix
Bottled: Aug. 11 to 15, 2022
Cases produced: 2,224
Alcohol: 13.4%
Titratable acidity: 6.0 g/L
pH: 3.66

2021 Pinot Noir, Méthode à l’Ancienne, Anderson Valley

92 points. “This Pinot Noir shows vivacity with its fresh-off-the-bush fruit tones of just-ripe raspberry, strawberry, pomegranate and cranberry. Earthy notes of red roses, forest floor, eucalyptus and sawdust complement perfectly. The palate is woven together by a generous dose of acidity and a fine-grained tannic texture before a lovely, lingering finish.” —Stacy Briscoe, Wine Enthusiast

2020 Pinot Noir, Méthode à l’Ancienne, Anderson Valley

95 points. “I’ve been a big fan of this, Navarro’s “mid-line” Pinot Noir, for many years, and this vintage reminds me why. It’s a gorgeous wine year in and year out, show its cool climate Anderson Valley roots with elegance and style. The 2020 is perfectly ripe, with bright cherry and strawberry fruit, soft dry earth tones, freshening acidity and an extended, fully integrated finish. This is a serious value.” —Rich Cook, Wine Review Online

92 points. “Generous, deep black-cherry and clove flavors give this medium- to full-bodied and complex wine a rich expression, while mild tannins and a touch of tangy acidity form a great structure. Red cherry, toast and mint develop with time in the glass. It's a timeless classic from Navarro.” —Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast

2019 Pinot Noir, Méthode à l’Ancienne, Anderson Valley

92 points. “This is a classic, well-balanced and delicious wine that doesn't go over the top with ripeness or oakiness. Pure cherry and strawberry flavors ride a smooth, lightly gripping texture that keeps begging for another sip.” —Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast

“Juicy and fresh with a sense of brightness and elegance to the sweet cherry and plum fruit. Finely spiced and grainy with sweet fruit but also balance. Assured. 93/100” —Jamie Goode, WineAnorak.com

2018 Pinot Noir, Méthode à l’Ancienne, Anderson Valley

94 points. Editors’ choice. “Deep in flavor and rich in texture, this medium- to full-bodied wine overflows with black cherry, black tea and cedar flavors that mingle nicely, creating complexity and extending into a long finish. Best through 2026.” —Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast

2017 Pinot Noir, Méthode à l’Ancienne, Anderson Valley

"Relatively light in color and charming in its fresh aromatics, this wine nevertheless delivers vivid cherry and rhubarb flavors that are concentrated and persistent. It balances vibrant acidity and a light tannic underpinning against just-ripe fruit and deftly polishes the mouthfeel." Wine Enthusiast magazine

"'Great Value.' Cool, fresh wild red cherries and black tea. Perfectly ripe, bright acidity and smooth as glass. I like how the fruity flavors shine at a modest 13.3% alcohol level. If you’re going to drink this soon, consider choosing the 2016 over the 2017, the extra year of bottle age makes a difference." DanDawsonWineAdvisor.com

2016 Méthode à l'Ancienne Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

This is a relatively light wine that's elegant, easy to drink and well balanced. It shows plenty of jazzy cherry flavors, light spice and rhubarb accents and a smooth mouthfeel backed by light tannins and acidity. —Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast

2015 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

This suave and sophisticated wine is so smooth to sip that its depth of flavor is a little deceptive. A subtle potpourri of clove, cinnamon, black tea and blackberry aromas swirl around a great core of mild acidity,fine-grained tannins and many layers of concentrated fruit flavor. The texture is velvety and the finish lingers for at least 30 seconds. Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, November, 2017.

2014 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

Perfumed with florals, red fruit (strawberry, cranberry), and spice. Sara Schneider, Sunset, March, 2017.

The strong nose features fruit but with impressive complexity. And the first sip reveals forward flavors, medium-full body and refreshing acidity, soon followed by engaging integration and refinement. Tannins build on the finish providing structure. John Vankat, Arizona Daily Sun, January 11, 2017.

Good old Navarro is outdoing itself with the 2013 and 2014 Pinot Noirs. In this one, vivid black-cherry aromas, tangy but deep cherry and cranberry flavors, and a nice, firm and appropriately tannic texture add up to a concentrated and nicely proportioned wine. It has the flavor oomph to pair with something as big as a roast, and the tangy texture to dissolve the richest salmon. -Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, August 1, 2016

2013 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

This wine is tasty, tangy and nervy, bringing a very refreshing and appetizing mouthfeel, and wonderful fresh acidity. All of that tang shows good fruitiness too, as the red-cherry and cranberry flavors are vivid and concentrated. It's a versatile wine to drink now or buy by the case to save some bottles for more aging. -Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, August 1, 2016

Not a big wine, but a well-balanced, well-behaved one that’s sophisticated enough for any setting. It feels smooth and gentle in texture, tastes quietly assertive in flavor and has a refined personality overall—a classic Anderson Valley Pinot. -Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, March 1, 2015

2012 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

2011 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

A solid effort, trim and complex, this wins points for the vibrant dried berry, black tea, mocha and creamy notes. Drink now. -James Laube , Wine Spectator, Web Only 2014

This is a smooth, easy-drinking and rather light-bodied wine, not unusual in the tricky vintage of 2011. Relatively light in color, this offers scents of sweet cherry, vanilla and cinnamon, while the flavors recall cherry and raspberry. The texture is almost delicate but livened up with a good touch of acidity. -Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, October 1, 2014

Medium-light ruby; fragrant red cherry fruit aroma with hints of cinnamon and dried herbs; medium to medium full body; sharp, herbal, cranberry and other red fruits flavors with a light trance of vanilla; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. A bit lean through shows some elegance and refinement, and attractively priced. Highly recommended. -Nicholas a Ponomareff, Wine Grapevine, February, 2014

2010 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

Polished and balanced, this masterpiece shows restraint and it’s already drinkable. With its great acidity and its fine intermingling of spice and red fruit flavors, this wine will appeal to lovers of Gamay and Pinot Noir. -Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast, April 1, 2013

Aromatic, full-flavored, fabulous balance and length; delicious start to finish. -Linda Murphy, Critic's Challenge Wine Competition, 2012

Medium reddish-purple color in the glass. Aromas of hibiscus, deep red cherries and spice. Mid weight flavors of darker red stone fruits with a complimentary hint of oak. Very drinkable now with a highly aromatic, fruitfilled finish. Very good. -Rusty Gaffney, www.princeofpinot.com, June 24, 2012.

2009 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

An elaborate Pinot Noir, one of the best under $30 on the market. Dry and silky, it offers deep, complex flavors of cherries, raspberries, cola, herbs, mushrooms, bacon and sandalwood, brightened with crisp acidity. Drink over the next four years for freshness and vitality. -Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast, December 11, 2011.

Navarro's classic bottle is getting slightly bigger in style, but its herbal subtlety is as on point as ever. Black plum and rhubarb, and an intense bright mineral core. Needs time to unfurl, but warm cinnamon tones and bright citrus-peel accents provide added depth. -Jon Bonne, San Francisco Chronicle,October 8, 2011.

2007 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

It opens with cherry, sweet smoky oak, blackberry, and black plume before juicy, medium bodied flavors of the same underpinned with nice oak and laced with fine tannin and good acidity. Everything carries through the long finish which is narrow at the front and broad at the back. Nicely done. -Harold Baer, www.haroldbaerwine.com, February 8, 2011.

This dark red colored Pinot opens with a mild strawberry bouquet with a hint of raspberry and oak. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, nicely balanced, and very smooth. It has a wonderful palate coating texture. The flavor profile is a mild plum with hints of cranberry, spearmint, and oak in the background. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins are well controlled. This Pinot is food friendly and would pair well with veal marsala. Enjoy. -Ken Hoggins , KensWineGuide.com ,June 3, 2010.

Their flagship pinot which has piercing red fruit, silky tannins and fine length. Annette Hanami , The San Francisco Examiner ,May 18, 2010.

Trim and spicy, with mineral, plum and black cherry fruit that’s focused, full bodied, firm and complex. Drink now through 2016. James Laube , Wine Spectator ,March 31, 2010.

2006 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

This classic bottling harks back to Anderson Valley's more low-key style. Cinnamon-tinged black cherry gets depth from firm mineral notes and an orange-peel lift. Jon Bonne, San Francisco Chronicle,September 20,2009.

Navarro's 2006 Methode a L'Ancienne is a fabulous food wine and so beautifully balanced it could be a course by itself. It segued with its brilliant fruit and invisible oak through a menu of butternut squash soup, adobo spiced pork tacos and lentil salad, and was still delicious as the last sip. Heidi Cusick Dickerson, The Ukiah Daily Journal, May 17, 2009.

After reviewing the results of our recent blind tasting of Pinot Noirs, it became clear very quickly that this offering from Navarro was one of the best deals in the tasting. This dark ruby colored offering opens with an attractive strawberry bouquet with a hint of spice mixed in. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, very nicely balanced, and smooth with a delicious strawberry flavor. The finish is dry and it was subtle. The panel felt this was a very food friendly Pinot and it would pair very nicely with salmon or lobster. Enjoy – Ken Hoggins, KensWineGuide.com, May 11, 2009.

Classic Old World style featuring earthy hints of ripe plum, strawberry, blueberry, mineral, forest floor, and toasted nuts. Over¬all, it's a nicely balanced wine with plenty of fruit flavors, purity and concentration - Christopher Sawyer, The Tasting Panel, August, 2008.

This is the flagship Pinot Noir which is widely available. Year in and year out it is consistently fine and this vintage is no exception. Perfumed with cherries, roses and tea, and both cherries and herbs leap out on the palate. Oak is deftly integrated. Beautifully crafted and harmonious, a terrific Pinot and one of the best tasted this Festival weekend. A steal at this price. Rusty Gaffney MD, the "Prince of Pinot", PinotFile, June 9, 2008 PrinceofPinot.com.

2005 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

Medium-bodied, offering a subtle mix of herb, dried cherry, berry and fresh earth notes. Drink now through 2010. - James Laube, Wine Spectator Insider, July 31, 2008.

2004 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

My favorite Navarro Pinot of all time. High-toned black cherry and wild berry flavors are intense and concentrated, with hints of hazelnut and spice. Wonderful balance, focus and length. Should age well, too. - James Laube, Wine Spectator Insider, January, 10 2007.

2003 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

An understated style that’s graceful and delicate. Fragrant rose petal, black cherry, tea and hints of herbal spice carry over nicely to the palate, enlivened by acidity and supple tannins. - James Laube, Wine Spectator, May 15, 2006.

Exceptional. Red cherry and raspberry aroma with a leafy-dusty note. Already shows complexity. A potentially great wine. Winery only. - Dan Berger Vintage Experience, November 10, 2005.

2002 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

Wonderfully fruity nose of freshly crushed wild strawberries, cranberry and pomegranate, accented by floral notes and a hint of sandalwood. Plush, sensuous and loaded with strawberry-cranberry fruit. Complex and expressive with mouthwatering acidity and ripe, medium tannins that promise further development with aging. - Steve Pitcher, The Wine News, August/September 2004.

Generous ripe, plump plum and wild berry flavors have a pretty toasty mocha oak edge. The fruit shines through on the finish. - James Laube, Wine Spectator, May 31, 2005.

Pure Read fruit runs through this wine like a cherry essence, clean and fine. Rather than powerful or concentrated, this is lush and generous within a narrow frame, the structural strength of the oak age integrated invisibly into the fruit. It feels firm, lithe and lasting, ready for the next King salmon season. - Joshua Green, Wine & Spirits, February 2005.

Deeply fruited nose of black cherry, blackberry and slight hints of menthol and clove; similar flavors that are juicy yet crisp from the fresh acidity; well-balanced. - San Francisco Chronicle, July 8, 2004.

2001 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

Delicate floral scents edge this pinot, its light but piercingly long flavors extended by the cool, coastal nights of the Anderson Valley. The texture is firm, the flavors are crisp as red apple and tart as tangerine. Dusty tannins in the end will focus those flavors on veal and mushrooms. - Wine & Spirits Magazine, "The Year’s Best Pinot Noir", January 2004.

Fresh and fragrant, with snappy black cherry and wild berry fruit that offers a hint of jam. Focused and persistent, with fine-grained tannins, and a whiff of blueberry on the finish adding to the complexity. Drink now through 2008. - James Laube, Wine Spectator, April 30, 2004.

It is my belief that Pinot Noir, unlike Cabernet Sauvignon for instance, can be absolutely delicious in pure, fruity, lightish, early-maturing form. There is something so delicate, flirtatious and beguiling about a Pinot made to express this unadorned face of the grape - particularly at this time of year when, in the northern hemisphere at least, we are starting to look for red wines suitable for drinking in warmer weather, wines that may be flattered by being served very slightly cool….the easiest way to buy is from their own atmospheric website www.navarrowine.com where this wine is a refreshing change from so many California wine prices. Suffice it to say that this wine is pure pleasure at a very reasonable price. And what more could one ask for? Look out for it on wine lists of American restaurants with particularly astute sommeliers. - Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, April 27, 2004.

Navarro’s Ancienne always seems to produce a fresh Pinot, not an ageable heavyweight, and this one’s no exception. It has pretty flavors of cherries, coffee and smoke, with silky tannins. - Wine Enthusiast, June 2004.

2000 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

Gold medal. Slightly lighter than the Deep End Pinot, but with racy acidity and generous flavors, a good value. - Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, August 15, 2002.

1999 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir

Wonderful balance and intensity, serving up a medley of berry fruit, with well focused cherry, plum, blackberry, and raspberry, accented by a minty spiciness. - James Laube, Wine Spectator, December 31, 2001.

Tightly structured in a cool, Pacific-influenced style, this is all smooth, dark berry fruit up front, then it blasts off on acidity and oak, as if biting into a ripe red apple, only it’s more like a plum, a pomegranate, a tart red currant. That spike of fruit flavor in the finish is red and tart, then it lasts. Firm for now, this could become luscious with age. - Wine & Spirits Magazine, February 2002.

A cold climate wine brimming with sharp cherry-raspberry aromas and flavors. Oak is not evident here - just that big, brilliant blast of fruit, in a very dry wine of considerable acidity. It's also light as a feather, with airy tannins. The round, supple texture makes it a restaurant favorite. - Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast, December 15, 2001.

(A) bolt of linear, vibrant, sweet, red fruit, clear and pure, with a touch of classic pinot funk on the nose, growing more and more complex as it opens in the glass. - Wine & Spirits, Annual Buying Guide, Winter 2002.