Since the 1994 vintage, the best part of Navarro's Pinot Noir has been pre-sold a year before release. We call our favorite Pinot Noir the Deep End, which is an old Boontling term for the chilly, northwestern edge of the Anderson Valley where the grapes, cooled by ocean breezes, mature slowly and ripen late. This wine is a blend of our best lots from our best Deep End vineyards aged in our best French oak barrels so it is a special wine that we can only produce in a limited quantity. We will cellar the 2025 Deep End Pinot Noir another six months in French oak barrels, then bottle it unfiltered to preserve its full potential.

2025 marked a welcome return to the halcyon days of growing Pinot Noir in the Anderson Valley. Cool, foggy mornings cleared by 10 AM, with highs in the 80s by mid-afternoon. The evening coastal winds returned, bringing fog and cooler coastal temperatures. Mendocino proves perfect for Pinot Noir and for thirsty redwoods alike. Crops were modest and well balanced across all our fields. This year's Deep End blend is composed of 48% South Hill, the backbone of the wine; 27% Hammer's Pond; 15% Garden Spot and 10% Middle Ridge.

Tasting a barrel sample before a wine is packaged and bottle-aged requires skill and imagination. It takes experience to predict how a wine will taste a year down the road. Navarro's Pre-Release members have practiced the art of barrel sampling Navarro Pinot Noir since the 1994 vintage at the August Futures Offering and Barrel Tasting and they end up ordering the lion's share.