Winemaker Notes
Gnarly Head Pinot Noir takes "the heartbreak grape" for a walk on the wild side. This powerful pinot touts voluptuous aromas of red cherry, vanilla, earth and spice, followed by a rush of black cherry and plum with hints of toasted hazelnut, tobacco and cigar box on the palate. Supple, sleek tannins and lush fruit make this wine a perfect pair for salami and arugula pizza, slow roasted pork loin, or dry brined chicken stuffed with sausage and peppers.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
An overall well-balanced and fun, mediumbodied Pinot Noir with chalky tannins that coat the tongue in a friendly manner. Find a plethora of aromas and flavors: raspberry, red cherry, roses, basil, vanilla, toasted wood, cumin and cacao. The finish is a solid medium in length.
Internationally recognized for gorgeous, pure fruit combined with great elegance, California Pinot noir thrives among the state’s cooler, coastal zones. Characterized by eclectic flavors and aromas of strawberry, black cherry, plum and potpourri with notes of forest floor, mushroom or black tea, the best California Pinot noir boast a supple texture and good acidity, giving them the ability to improve with age.
Credited with the beginning of Pinot noir’s glory in California, two growers, Joe Rochioli and Joseph Swan in the late 1960s independently planted Pinot noir vineyards in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Today Sonoma County remains the leading producer of Pinot noir in the state, and Pinot noir is the leading red grape in the county, achieving its highest potential, in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast.
Other coastal appellations where Pinot noir flourishes include Carneros, Anderson Valley and most of the Central Coast.