Reviews & Ratings

2018 Navarro Vineyards Chardonnay "Mendocino"

Winery: Navarro Vineyards

Vintage: 2018

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Mendocino"

Wine Category: Chardonnay

Grape blend: 100% Chardonnay

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Mendocino

State or country: CA

Price: $22

Cases produced: 2,819

KWG Score: 89 (based on 2 reviews)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good (89)

Review date: June 12, 2021

Wine Review: This pale-yellow colored Chardonnay opens with an inviting pineapple and apricot bouquet with notes of gentle oak. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and approachable. The flavor profile is a vanilla and oak influenced golden delicious apple with notes of ripe pear. There are hints of nutmeg and other spices mixed in as well. The finish lingers and drifts away nicely. This Chard is a nice porch sipper for fans of this style. Serve it slightly chilled on a hot day. With food try it with pasta carbonara. Enjoy - Ken

Winemaker Notes: A cool, primary fermentation in stainless steel tank, without a secondary malolactic fermentation, retained all the grapes' varietal flavors and crisp acidity. Aging in seasoned French oak barrels for seven months built a smooth mouthfeel without adding preponderant oak flavors. In this vintage's bottling, Anderson Valley grapes produced 75% of the total wine. 58% of the grapes were grown at Navarro and 42% were grown by our neighbors. Anderson Valley's Chardonnay flavor profile of poached pear and citrus remains front and center with Potter Valley's apple-melon flavors playing a supporting role while barrel aging adds roundness with hints of toast and vanilla.

Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell Navarro 2018 Mendocino Chardonnay.