With a boat load of holidays approaching everyone is thinking about their wine and spirits needs. The first thing on peoples minds is likely to be the wines they'll serve if they're hosting a holiday or what to bring over as a guest at someone’s home. Those are important, but I think it’s as important to consider wines to have around for the multitude of more casual get-togethers that happen during the long holiday season that happens from Thanksgiving through the New Year. With that in mind here’s a look at two budget friendly wines from Gnarly Head that fit the bill for casual entertaining, late night snack pairing and just any old time you want to open a bottle without breaking the budget.
First up is the Gnarly Head 2012 Chardonnay. The fruit for this wine came from vineyards in Lodi and Monterey California. Grapes were fermented in a combination of oak and stainless steel; 40% underwent malolactic fermentation. In addition to Chardonnay (84%), this wine has some Chenin Blanc (10%), Malvasia Bianca (4%) and Viognier (2%) blended in. 50,000 cases of this wine were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $9.99. Golden Delicious apple aromas are joined by toast and spice on the welcoming nose of this Chardonnay. Vibrant orchard fruit flavors define the palate. A copious amount of bakers spices are present as well. The crisp and fruity finish which has solid length shows off green apple and white pepper. This is a clean and refreshing Chardonnay that drinks well on it’s own, as well as paired well with classic Chardonnay loving dishes. Pastas with creamy sauces, roasted white meets and rich cheeses all come to mind.
The Gnarly Head 2012 Old Vine Zinfandel was produced from fruit sourced in the Lodi region. In addition to Zinfandel (84%), this wine has some Petite Sirah (16%) blended in. The fruit came from vines that have between 35 and 80 years of age on them. Fermentation took place over a bit more than a week. Aging in a combination of French and American oak followed. 180,000 cases of this wine were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $11.99. Dark plum aromas fill the nose of this Zin along with bits of violet and vanilla. The palate is medium bodied and loaded with dark and juicy fruit flavors. Sour black cherries and black pepper spice are part of the finish which has nice length. This Zin is easy to drink on its own and will also pair well with hearty foods. While many Zinfandels in this price category are over the top, Gnarly Head continues to be proportionate and well balanced. It’s a solid everyday value in Zinfandel and has been so for some time.
While these wines both retail for less than $12 you can often find them for a couple of bucks less if you shop around. At those prices these are very affordable wines to keep on hand for everyday drinking and spontaneous entertaining. When I think of wines in the around $10 price range like this I want offerings that are tasty, easy to drink, and true to the varietal in question. Both of these wines fulfill those criteria and they have loads of curb appeal. That’s to say they will be drinkable to a wide array of people.