• 2023 Pinot GrisNew!
    Anderson Valley, Mendocino
    • (750 ml) $26.00
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Gray with age Recent Press

A wine writer recently unearthed a bottle of Navarro 2006 Pinot Gris in his cellar and decided to share it with some wine buddies. They were pleasantly surprised by how delicious it tasted and how well it had aged. So, what makes a wine age well? Generally, white wines high in acid and extract—insoluble substances that add flavor—tend to age gracefully. Oak-aged wines like Burgundies and Bordeauxs benefit from oak-derived tannins. Botrytized wines like Sauternes and Rieslings can age beautifully for up to 30 years. Cellar practices play a role too: harvesting the grapes while the acidity is high followed by fermenting and aging on lees in oak casks with minimal filtration leads to longer-lived wines. Anderson Valley Pinot Gris grapes are naturally high in acid, and we ferment and age these wines sur lie in French oak casks. Navarro's Pinot Gris qualifies with all these measures and although it is lip-smackingly delicious right now, it promises to age with grace and dignity. Flowery aromas complement ripe pear, white peach and floral flavors while a polished texture and balanced acidity keep it tantalizing. Platinum Medal winner. Best of Varietal. 94 points.

Pinot Gris is genetically unstable and frequently we see white berries intermixed with the dark. [below] Pinot Gris skins turn a dark purple when fully ripe and it is the only grape for producing white wine with skins that contain quercetin, also found in Sangiovese, which may add to the wine's longevity.

[above] Naama was a winery intern 20 years ago. Seen here, she is scrubbing down a stainless-steel cooling panel that we've installed in all the ovals to control wine temperature which is especially critical during fermentation.


Alfredo installing an oak door on an oval. [below] Our newer ovals have stainless steel doors, but we have several of these older ovals that are over 50 years old. Ovals have been traditionally used for centuries because the shape maximizes yeast contact for optimum sur lie aging.

Specifications
  • Harvested: Sept. 23 to Oct. 13, 2023
  • Sugars at harvest: 23.0° Brix
  • Bottled: April 30 to May 1, 2024
  • Cases produced: 1,402
  • Alcohol: 13.5%
  • Titratable acidity: 6.8 g/L
  • pH: 3.38