Navarro Vineyards
A Mendocino Classic
So many happy flowers!
It was a toasty warm summer day in Philo, and smoke from distant wildfires was smudging up the sky, but there was a fresh breeze wafting across the raised deck where we sat near the main tasting room at Navarro Vineyards. The railing behind us was crowned with cheery flower boxes full of bright and happy orange and yellow blooms. A jack rabbit loped through the vines rolling up the hill just beyond the deck, and the huge wisteria vines shading the picnic area below our perch were scenting the air ever so lightly with their delicious perfume. We had been spending a leisurely day in the Anderson Valley, and this last stop of the afternoon at Navarro, one of the most classic of Mendocino wineries, was just perfect.
How so, you ask? Well, if we haven’t already given you some hint of the why and wherefore in the paragraph above, let us continue on with a word or two…
So many shady little tables to sit and enjoy your tasting…
Relaxed, pleasant atmosphere. Lovely, well-groomed gardens to wander and rest your eyes on. Plenty of shady tables spaced out around the deck and gardens to enjoy a laid-back afternoon. A simple yet tantalizingly tasty deli selection of locally produced cheese and charcuterie. And a list full of affordable wines somehow at once both unpretentious and remarkably self-assured.
Our server Bill, a gentle old soul with a bit of a twinkle in his eye and a ready chuckle on his lips, brought us out the little demi-baguette and creamy Pennyroyal Laychee with Chives that we had ordered off the deli menu to get things started. He then poured the 2019 Chardonnay in our waiting glasses, gave us a few words about the wine itself, and rolled on over to the next table. The bread and cheese were the perfect accompaniment to the wine, which was itself an even better pairing with the conversation flowing freely across our table.
Fresh baguette, creamy goat cheese, and a list of lovely wines to work through… perfect!
We continued to chat, stopping now and again to enjoy the view, do a little people watching, and savor each new wine that Bill brought our way. He worked us down the list with some of the 2020 Edelzwicker, a unique semidry blend of Pinot Gris, Gewurz, and Riesling that would be excellent with dried apricots and a chunk of Double Gloucester. After a refreshing sip of the 2020 Rose of Pinot Noir, we worked through a variety of the Pinot Noir vintages, with Bill slipping in one or two extra that they happened to have open.
Mmm… Pinot makes us happy
Now you may be wondering why I would call Navarro Vineyards a Mendocino classic – yes? Well, in a wine region where most wineries are only a couple of decades old at the most, Navarro can point to over 40 years of family winemaking. Not only have they been in love with viticulture for that long, the consistent quality of their wines and their community involvement have firmly established them as a cherished local favorite, a good ol’ standby that we all feel proud of.
So as we lingered over the last few drops of Pinot in our glasses, we agreed – Navarro Vineyards was the enjoyably relaxed experience we had been hoping for and the perfect way to end the day.
Happy bees here!
Plan your own relaxing visit to Navarro Vineyards! They are open for wine tastings 7 days a week, 10:00am to 4:00pm. Reservations highly recommended. Plan to enjoy some of the cheese they have available from their sister winery, Pennyroyal Farm, and charcuterie from Roundman’s Smokehouse in Fort Bragg – because good wine is even better when there are tasty snacks go with it!
Words & pictures by Laura Hockett