EAST COAST PALATE

I tried a glass of this Cali Merlot the other day.  It is a great example of a wine where some vanilla aromas are easily perceived.  That smell mainly comes from the barrel aging process.  The oak used (Quercus alba) has vanillin in it inherently, so the longer a wine sits in the barrel, the more vanillin can integrate into the wine.  The particular bottle here also brings some fresh blueberry aromas, and an slightly herbal quality, which might have been what triggered my memory this morning when I had some Rooibus/Vanilla tea.  That's what really reminded me of sampling this Merlot almost a week ago.
The wine is very light-bodied, almost watery even.  It has a freshness, a juciness, and a simplicity that makes me think it would be a crowdpleaser for people who don't drink much wine .  It does have an oaky bite near the back end of the palate, but it's by no means a big, meaty Merlot.  It's a low B for about 10 bucks, perfect to have with pizza, maybe even pizza bagels like I used to make when I was kid.
For more info on getting some Gnarly Head, visit www.gnarlyhead.com.