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Gearhead Wines

Lockdown Pinot Noir 2020

Price: $26.95
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Tasting notes

The split-lot winemaking is what makes this stand out: half the fruit goes carbonic for crunchy, spicy lift, while the other half is foot-trodden for structure and depth. The result is earthy and forest-floor-driven with wild berry fruit and a satisfying mushroom note that lingers on the finish.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
EarthMushroomWild StrawberryBlack Pepper
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; 100% Pinot Noir; Sonoma Coast; earthy, wild berry, mushroom; 14% ABV; zero-zero; 120 cases
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Pinot Noir; organically farmed; Sonoma Coast AVA, California
  • Winemaking: 50% whole-cluster cold soak + 17-day carbonic fermentation; 50% foot-trodden with punch downs; pressed together after 12 days; 2 months rest; unfined, unfiltered, zero added SO2
  • Serving: Serve at 60-62F; no extended decant needed
  • Pairing: Roasted chicken, duck confit, mushroom risotto, aged Comté
  • Similar To: For fans of earthy, low-intervention Pinot Noir who want something closer to Gevrey-Chambolle than Napa

Gearhead Wines' Lockdown Pinot Noir 2020 is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from organically farmed fruit on the Sonoma Coast. Craig West split the fruit into two equal lots: one received a 3-4 day cold soak of whole clusters followed by 17 days of carbonic fermentation with no added CO2 or treading; the other was foot-trodden with punch downs. Both lots were pressed together after 12 days, then rested for two months before bottling unfined, unfiltered, with zero added SO2. Total production was 120 cases.

On the nose, this wine leads with forest floor, wild berries, and a distinct mushroom note. The palate is earthy and textured, with warm, generous red fruit and a spicy undercurrent from the carbonic fermentation. The two-lot approach delivers both structural grip and fruit expressiveness in a single bottle.

This is a zero-zero wine in every sense: no additions, no fining, no filtration. At 14% ABV it carries more weight than most carbonic reds, but the earthy character and natural acidity keep it grounded and drinkable.

The earthy, mushroom-driven character pairs well with roasted chicken thighs, duck confit, or a mushroom and thyme risotto. Aged hard cheeses like Comté or aged Gouda work well against the wine's textured acidity. Serve slightly cool, around 60-62F, to keep the fruit fresh.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Pinot Noir
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2020
Alcohol:, 14%
Country:, United States
Region:, Sonoma Coast
Appellation:, Sonoma Coast AVA
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


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If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


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If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

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Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

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4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

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**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Gearhead Wines

Craig West founded Gearhead Wines after a career that included commercial fishing and baking for Acme Bread in the Bay Area. In 2016 he met Noel Diaz of Purity Wines in Richmond, California, who invited him to step into an open-top fermenter and tread grapes. West made his first barrel that same year out of his garage.

Gearhead operates as a negociant-style label: West does not own vineyards and instead sources organically farmed fruit from growers across California. He has made wine at Noel Diaz's Richmond facility and more recently at the Les Lunes space in Richmond. All wines are foot-trodden, many use carbonic maceration, and all are bottled with zero added sulfur, unfined, and unfiltered. Production runs are small, typically under 150 cases per wine.

West's approach prioritizes sensory judgment over formula. As one collaborator noted, he treats gut instinct and imagination as more important tools than a fixed winemaking plan. The label artwork across the Gearhead range is drawn by his daughter.

Wine region

Sonoma Coast, United States

The Sonoma Coast AVA is California's largest cool-climate appellation, stretching from San Pablo Bay north to the Mendocino border. Vineyards sit on steep hillside terrain, many between 900 and 1,800 feet above sea level, and are subject to direct Pacific Ocean influence including heavy fog, strong coastal winds, and wide diurnal temperature swings that can exceed 40 degrees Fahrenheit between day and night. These conditions naturally limit yields and preserve acidity in the grapes.

Soils on the Sonoma Coast range from Goldridge sandy loam in the south to more rocky, sedimentary, and volcanic soils further north and west. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the dominant varieties. The extreme western section of the AVA, sometimes called West Sonoma Coast, is considered one of California's most compelling sites for Burgundian-style, acid-driven Pinot Noir. The appellation received AVA status in 1987.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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