Wine Tasting- Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasting- Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon


Name: Gnarly Head
Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Country: United States
State: California
Year: 2013
Price: $9.79

Winery Review:
Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon is King - big, gallant and powerful. This dark, bold Cabernet has solid tannins and jammy fruit, with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, freshly-cracked black peppercorn, violet and charred notes. On the palate, flavors of dense black fruit compote and currant followed by a trio of clove, spice and earth, lead to a generous, lingering finish.

My Review:
Well, I didn't really like my first encounter with Gnarly Head but this went slightly better. Slightly. Ignore what the review says, it isn't king (but it isn't bad). The problem with this wine is that it's just too damn powerful for its own good. Way too jammy and nothing really subtle about this one. However, it is flavorful and in no way shape or form bad....other than at being subtle. Anyway, I got the peppercorn, blackberry, and black cherry. I got some nice spicy taste on the palate, blackberry too despite not really being listed.

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting- Toasted Head Merlot

Tasting- Toasted Head Merlot


Name: Toasted Head
Variety: 100% Merlot
Country: United States
State: California
Year: 2012
Price: $12.69

Winery Review:
Aromas of cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate-dipped cherries give way to flavors of bing cherries, sweet anise, vanilla, and roasted coffee. The color is bright-to-dark ruby red.
My Review:
I really liked this. I've had some prior experience with Toasted Head and while I did enjoy their chardonnay, I really liked their Merlot. I got cinnamon and chocolate on the nose and I definitely got almost this creamy, vanilla and coffee flavor to it. Full bodied too which was a nice change in pace from other wines this week.

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting- Shutter Home White Zinfandel

Tasting- Shutter Home White Zinfandel

Name: Shutter Home
Variety: 100% Zinfandel
Country: United States
State: California
Year: ???
Price: $4.99

Winery Review:
You may blush with excitement over this fresh, lively wine. Beauty in a bottle, our light, refreshing White Zinfandel wine flirts with your tongue, as you taste essences of strawberry and melon. Perfect with all types of food, we recommend pairing it with something a little spicy such as Asian or Latin cuisine.

My Review:
Hm, I should have probably learned my lesson with these price labels by now. While not always indicative, it most certainly was in this case. I got some melon and some heat but there is just so little body to this wine that I honestly couldn't tell you much otherwise.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting- Dark Horse Red Blend

Tasting- Dark Horse Red Blend

Name: Protocolo Tinto Temprenillo
Variety: Proportions are not known but contains: Malbec, Syrah, Tempranillo, Merlot
Country: California, Argentina, Australia
Year: ??
Price: $7.99

Winery Review:
The Dark Horse Big Red Blend has deep flavors of dark berry and black currant, supported by plush tannins, hints of dark roasted oak and a long finish. This Red Blend underwent alcoholic fermentation with hand chosen yeast to provide enhanced color, structure and fruit characteristics.

My Review:
This wine was subtle and dry. Didn't hit me over the head with super jammy flavors which was actually really nice. Nice body to it too, berry flavors came out buttery there. Not a whole lot to say but I really enjoyed this wine.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting- Dark Horse Chardonnay

Tasting- Dark Horse Chardonnay

Name: Dark Horse
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Country: California
Year: ???
Price: $7.99

Winery Review:
The 2012 Dark Horse Chardonnay has rich flavors of baked apple and pear, layered with toasted oak, notes of caramel and brown spice with a smooth, lingering finish. This Chardonnay underwent alcoholic fermentation with hand selected yeast and then a secondary malolactic fermentation to create a round, full mouthfeel.

My Review:
Compared to the Toasted Head, this was much more subtle in the oak approach. I definitely got apple there but I also picked up the caramel and brown spice. Considerably less hot in the finish. Nice and buttery after taste as well. Definitely would buy a full bottle in the future.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting- Gallo Family Pink Moscato

Tasting- Gallo Family Pink Moscato

Name: Gallo Family
Variety: 100% Moscato
Country: California
Year: 2014-15
Price: $5.99

Winery Review:
Our Pink Moscato is light-bodied and bursting with aromas of fresh citrus and peach, followed by hints of fresh red berries and orange blossoms. Great paired with an array of food from spicy dishes to sweet desserts

My Review:
So this was my introduction into flawed wines. The body of this wine just doesn't exist. Sniffing gave hints of...nothing. Actually nothing, I couldn't smell a single thing from this wine. A taste gave me apricot and berries but that's really it. After downing it, the taste didn't linger, it vanished as if it was never there. Perhaps there was a reason for the listed pricing because this wine was, well, not great.

I had this wine both with and without food. Slightly better with a slice of lemon cake.

Tasting- Toasted Head Chardonnay

Tasting- Toasted Head Chardonnay

Name: Toasted Head
Variety: 96% Chardonnay, 4% Viognier
Country: United States
Region: California
Year: 2013
Price: $9.99

Winery Review:
This wine delivers white peach and Asian pear aromas and is rich, yet crisp on the palate with great acidity.  We prefer to just think of it as a solid American Chardonnay with some oaky heft behind it.

My Review:
This is the first oaked wine I've had and boy did I taste it here. Right off the bat, I smelled vanilla to the point where it was almost overpowering. It was a really heavy-bodied wine that had hints of butterscotch, pear, and that oak taste you get from whiskey. There was a bit of heat to it but as a personal preference, that doesn't mean a whole lot to me right now. Overall, I found it a good introduction to oak.

I did not have food with this wine.