What did the surfer dude say upon tasting a lip-smacking, berry-scented old-vine Zinfandel that cost less than a ten spot? “Gnarly, man!” To which we responded, “Correct!” All jesting aside, the folks at Gnarly Head Cellars make a seriously delicious Zinfandel for short money. Possessing many of the hallmarks of pricier Zin—distinct aromas of briar and black pepper, lush but balanced fruit and deft oak treatment—this wine comes from 35- to 80-year-old vineyards in Lodi, California. These mop-topped plants always look as if they’re having a bad-hair day, but they typically produce more complex, concentrated fruit than their younger, trellised counterparts. Old vines also produce a lower volume of grapes, which makes Gnarly Head’s reasonable price all the more impressive.