The Chardonnay grape deserves respect. The king of white wine has earned it. But with that earned respect comes great expectation, and these days low to mid-tier producers of Chardonnay face unprecedented levels of competition from varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Viognier, particularly from up and coming foreign producers. So when I recently had an opportunity to taste Gnarly Head’s latest Chardonnay offering, I too had expectations. Not just because I’ve been tasting value priced Chardonnays for over 15 years, searching for high quality examples in the price segment for my customers, but also because I’m a fan of the Gnarly Head brand. I love their light-hearted and mildly irreverent approach to wine making. And, of course, I love the name…..I mean come on who doesn’t like the name Gnarly?
But back to the task at hand…..how’s the Chard? Well if you believe the back label it ought to be pretty good. “This mouthwatering wine takes you headfirst into tropical flavors of pineapple and citrus, followed by a zingy ginger accent and hints of graham cracker and vanilla on a creamy finish.” It goes on to claim “full bodied”, “waves of flavor” and “well-balanced”. That’s some bold language. I like that bold language. This SOUNDS great. Let’s see how it tastes.
I actually spent some time with this wine, tasting it alone and with food, allowing it to breathe and reach mildly warmer temperatures to see what it would reveal. I found that the nose delivered on the bold language, offering the tropical notes, including some mild ripe banana, and some mineralization. However, the wine didn’t quite deliver on the palate. While there is the zingy tropical fruit, the wine is too linear, and not as balanced as I would prefer. That’s not to say there’s too much oak, on the contrary, this is a fresher interpretation of Chardonnay, which I like. It’s just that the fruit on the palate belies what the nose, and the label, would indicate. Some may like the creamier finish, but I would prefer a bit more acidity and length, particularly if you are going to pair this wine with food.
Don’t get me wrong. This is a good Chardonnay for the money. But it’s not exceptional. I guess it’s all about expectations.
A Salute!
Wine: Gnarly Head
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 84
Price: $9.00
Find Gnarly Head Chardonnay with Snooth
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.