Navarro Vineyards/Jim Kline/Anderson Valley

This spring is starting warm in northern California.I'm heading toward the coast and into Mendocino County.This is Anderson valley,and Navarro Vineyards.Jim Kline has made the wines for many years,and this winery has an incredible following.once people are introduced to these wines they are followers for life.Let's check out our first two features.First to the tasting notes...AND then to the food and wine pairing!! 2012 Chardonnay Première Reserve Navarro has two primary Chardonnay vineyards. The TR vineyard, directly in front of Navarro's tasting room, was originally planted in 1978, 725 vines per acre. The field was replanted in 2011, in five blocks, with combinations of two clones grafted on to two different rootstocks, 1,815 vines per acre. Eighteen years ago we began replanting sections of the Hammer Olsen field; these blocks are now fully mature and producing crops with excellent varietal flavors and verve. The combination of new clones from France, earlier-maturing rootstocks and denser plantings results in the new blocks ripening their fruit earlier than our original plantings, with riper flavors and balanced acidity. After cruddy weather in 2011 prevented us from producing our flagship Première Reserve Chardonnay, we were delighted with perfect ripening conditions in 2012. The fruit was sourced entirely from Navarro's Hammer Olsen vineyard, since the TR field was not yet productive. The juice from each picking was fermented and aged sur lie for nine months in French oak barrels, 25% new. Our favorite Chardonnay barrel is produced by Billon Cooperage; for Navarro, they source tight grain wood from the Vosges forest then air dry it three years, resulting in subtle oak flavors suggesting coconut and Melba toast, which integrate seamlessly with Hammer Olsen's crisp apple-pear fruit. We've served it with scallop, prawn and mushroom risotto... yum. Gold Medal winner. 2012 G Gewürztraminer Cluster Select Late Harvest After the meager 2010 and 2011 vintages, where we bottled less wine than needed, it was a relief to have a decent Gewürz crop in 2012. The bountiful harvest put us in such a confident mood that we decided a big-time gamble was in order. We harvested enough Gewürz to produce the desired quantities of 2012 Estate Bottled Gewürztraminer and Edelzwicker but we left about twenty tons of grapes on the vine, hoping the fruit would rot. We visited the field frequently and although botrytis was spreading, so were the undesirable molds. Our gamble seemed increasingly reckless with each review. In late November, four days after Thanksgiving, we began harvesting; after tossing fruit with undesirable rots on the ground, we harvested less than seven tons of botrytised fruit to produce this honeyed beauty. We began entering this wine in national and international wine competitions in March 2013 and with each Gold medal, or more select accolade, we were convinced we had produced a very special wine. Recently, at a family celebration, we pulled out a 1983 Navarro Cluster Select wine, one of our first dessert wines to garner a horde of Gold medals. Everyone at the table swooned. This clean, peachy ambrosia will be delicious decades from now, so save some in your cellar as these age worthy, golden nectars are ideally suited for remembering and celebrating special occasions. Winner of thirteen Gold Medals. Best of Class. Best of Show. Now let's join Jim Kline and open these bottles!We saved you a seat,and will pour a glass of each!Cheers! Click here and join us for a glass of this beautiful Chardonnay. Click here dessert in a glass,care for a taste.