Gnarly Head Merlot 2014

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4.0 Very Good (10)
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Gnarly Head Merlot 2014 Front Label
Gnarly Head Merlot 2014 Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2014

Size
750ML

ABV
13.5%

Your Rating

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Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

The Gnarly Head Merlot breaks the mold and tells a story of power and finesse. Anything but classic, this wine shows off bold aromas of blackberry, baking spice and notes of vanilla followed by juicy flavors of black cherry, ripe plum and buttered toast with a hint of caramel rounding out the finish.

Supple, velvety tannins and lush fruit make this wine an ideal match for beef sliders, Tandoori chichen or even chocolate mousse.

Professional Ratings

  • 90
    This wine has all the necessary smoothness, plus deep plum and cherry flavors and touches of spicy oak, too. The texture feels layered and the fruit components are vivid and tasty. It all comes together gracefully on the palate and the finish. Best Buy

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Gnarly Head

Gnarly Head

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Gnarly Head, California
Gnarly Head Winemaker Scott Jones Winery Image

Gnarly Head wines began with a vision and a vine. In 2004, on a mission to make a serious Zinfandel, the winemakers journeyed to Lodi in central California in search of the famed old vine Zinfandel vineyards. Grown in the head-trained, spur-pruned method for over a century, these vigorous gnarled vines produced more ripened red fruit than they had ever seen. But Zinfandel is not the only grape that can be Gnarly. Their winemakers select grapes from some of the best vineyards in Northern California to produce wines in their Gnarly house style--big and juicy.

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Today the fourth most widely planted red variety in the state, Merlot has much to offer. While it bears similarities to Cabernet Sauvignon (its half-sibling), it tends to be lower in both acidity and tannins, giving Merlot wines a mouthfeel that is often perceived as soft, round and plush. These qualities make it an ideal blending partner for Cabernet, the two complementing each other throughout.

Merlot arrived relatively late to the California wine scene. It wasn’t until the 1970’s when producers like Louis Martini, Sterling and Matanzas Creek—influenced by European Merlot blends—began crafting single varietal versions. These trend-setting bottles opened the eyes of others in the California wine scene and spurred increased plantings. From there, the variety’s lush drinkability led to a surge in popularity, then overplanting (some of it on unsuitable sites) and finally a backlash that was turbo-charged by the infamous 2004 film, Sideways. What most viewers didn't realize was that, as much as Miles derided the variety, the prized wine of his collection—a 1961 Château Cheval Blanc—is made from a blend of Merlot with Cabernet Franc.

Fine examples of California Merlot—either as a single varietal wine or as part of a blend—can be found from Napa Valley, Sonoma County, the Central Coast and most regions around the state. Merlot wines offer a ripe, sensual mouthful of plummy fruit, suggestions of mint, herbs and vanilla, all carried along by an approachable structure and often, a great potential for improving with age.

YNG137522_2014 Item# 155937

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