We made our first rosé from Grenache grapes in 2002 to emulate the wines being produced in Southern France. Grenache grapes have modest acidity so other red grape varieties with higher acidity are usually part of rosés from Mediterranean France. In prior vintages we've blended in Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignane, but we've found that Carignane, single-handedly, is our preferred complement to Navarro's Mendocino Grenache. This crisp wine has a Grenache core of strawberry and spice with a 24% addition of juice from 80-year-old Carignane vines lending lyrical guava notes. Barrel aging rounds out the mouthfeel and adds a hint of vanilla. At the 2023 North Coast Wine Challenge where 1,000 wines were judged, this bottling was described as an "enchanting Southern Belle" and was rated Gold Medal-winner and Best of Class. 98 points.