Navarro Vineyards - 2008 Navarrouge

2008 Navarrouge
Mendocino Red Table Wine
- (750 ml) Sold Out!

Unfortunately this product is no longer available!

You may still be interested in:

Buy local

What quality of grape could one possibly expect to find in a $14.00 bottle of red wine? Lately, in the wine biz, it has meant shipping bulk wine in large plastic containers from half way around the world, bottling it and slapping a label on it. That isn't the case here. This wine is a blend from eight different grape varieties, and every lot was grown right here in Mendocino, supporting our hardworking neighbors. Take Zinfandel. We purchase grapes from the same five Mendocino Russian River Valley growers every year. The vines average over 50 years of age limiting yield and ensuring character; all are goblet trained for light exposure, planted on well drained soil, with a grower committed to delivering quality fruit. One of the most creative parts of winemaking is blending. Since the wine we bottle is the same wine we drink at home, we're pretty picky.

The 2008 Navarrouge aromas suggest black licorice, cypress, blueberry and toasty oak. The flavor profile is similar to Zinfandel's with juicy blackberry flavors; Cabernet Sauvignon adds a firm but flexible backbone of tannin.

The average age for Zinfandel vines that produced the fruit for our Navarrouge is over 50 years.

Only 60% of the Zinfandel we produced in 2008 was actually bottled as Navarro Zinfandel, leaving a lot of really good wine in the barrel. Imagine having savory "leftovers" from eight different red grape varieties, and all from old vines. The beauty of Navarrouge is that it doesn't have to be true to variety, it just has to be good. We had fourteen good lots of wine from eight red grape varieties to choose from. In descending percentages, this Navarrouge is crafted from Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Valdiguié, Pinot Noir, Carignan, Syrah, Grenache and Cinsaut.

These ancient Valdiguié vines are monumental. One of Valdiguié's characteristics is that the sugars are low when the grapes are fully ripe. Zinfandel has a lot of sugar when ripe so a blend of the two yields a wine with moderate alcohol.

Specifications

Harvested: Sept 27 to Oct 27, 2008
Sugars at harvest: 23.5° Brix
Bottled: Aug. 12 & 13, 2009
Cases produced: 2688
Alcohol: 13.5%
Titratable acidity: 6.2 g/L
pH: 3.66

2016 Navarrouge, Mendocino

"This good, easy-drinking wine gives a sweet first impression and builds fruity and savory notes through the flavors and finish. It adds chocolaty accents to herbal ones like bay leaf and fruity ones like black plum." Wine Enthusiast magazine

2014 Navarrouge, Mendocino

Need a recommendation for a good house wine? This medium-bodied red has moderate fruit flavors, good structure from acidity and tannins, and a nice feeling of completeness. It is a catch-all blend of Zinfandel,Pinot Noir and four other grape varieties. Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast, December 1, 2015.

2011 Navarrouge, Mendocino

This entry level red blend from Navarro is a very good deal and was quite a crowd pleaser. It is ruby colored and opens with a black cherry bouquet with hint of black plum and boysenberry. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, savory and very easy to drink. The flavor profile is a tasty plum with a hint of minerality, acai berry, and mild oak. The finish is dry and fades away nicely. This offering is a perfect wine for Italian dishes. I would pair it with spaghetti and Joe's meatballs. Enjoy - Ken - Ken Ken Hoggins, www.kenswineguide.com/, July 20,2012.

2010 Navarrouge, Mendocino

This slightly opaque ruby colored wine opens with a black cherry bouquet with a hint of strawberry. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced,a little juicy and easy to drink. The flavor profile is a mild strawberry with a hint of gentle cherry and light oak. The finish is dry and its very mild tannins are friendly. This is a good everyday food wine. I would pair it with pizza or lasagna. Enjoy - Ken Ken Hoggins, www.kenswineguide.com/, June 15, 2012.

2007 Navarrouge, Mendocino

Has light, fresh, cherry, Latakia tobacco, sweet rhubarb, and blackberry aromas before nicely bright, juicy flavors of the same fruit which finsh medium-broad and truncated. Well put together. BEST BUY. Harold Baer, www.haroldbaerwine.com, February 8, 2011.

2006 Navarrouge, Mendocino

An unusual but distinctive blend, with zesty and rustic plum, pepper and tobacco aromas and flavors. Valdiguié, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and others. Drink now. - Tim Fish, Wine Spectator, Web Only 2008.

2005 Navarrouge, Mendocino

Eight red varietals, including syrah, cabernet, pinot noir, and carignane go into this excellent Quality-to-Price-Ratio wine that should be a leading contender for your house red. Cherry blossom aromas, black cherry flavors with a fair amount of oak in the midpalate, but it's interesting and flavorful. I suspect it will be even better in 4-8 months. This is one to buy by the case and just have on hand for when friends drop by at the holidays. - Good Wines Under $20, October 12, 2007.

2002 Navarrouge, Mendocino

Bright glints of mineral skitter off this wine’s soft middle, contrasting the sweetness of the fruit .. this is built for barbecue. - Wine & Spirits, June 2004.

(T)he 2002 Navarrouge wine is personified by the voluptuous virile-looking youth on the far left of (Botticelli’s Primavera), draped casually in a strawberry red toga, his hand gesturing towards the heavens. Both man and wine are juicy and swash-buckling-the man due to his muscles, the wine due to its blend: 30% bright, spicy Zinfandel; 30% ripe-strawberry flavored Valdiguié; 15% smoky Syrah; 11% cedary Cabernet Sauvignon; 8% smooth plummy Merlot; and 4% grapey regal-colored Dolcetto. Made in the style of an Italian blend and aged in French oak for a full ten months, it has a warm glow to it and is very food-friendly. It is a great match for grilled foods, pizza and other Italian dishes, and many red meat dishes. - Barbi Gifford Shimer, The Vine Line, May 2004.

2000 Navarrouge, Mendocino

Best Buy. This wine is rustic and made country-style but there’s something lovable about it, like a big old dog. It’s friendly and fun. The tastes are juicy and rich, the texture round and mellow, and although it’s no match for your top-notch collector’s items, it will do just fine most of the time. - Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast, May 2002.

Navarrouge, Edition 5

This is Navarro's fun red. It is a blend of Valdiguié, Zinfandel, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Grenache. - The Delta Navigator, "Mendocino Wines: Hidden Treasures", September 1999.