No restraint. No fear.

That simple credo sums up the winemaking philosophy of Christian Tietje, Four Vines founder and rogue winemaker with an in-your-face passion for big reds.

He founded Four Vines in his garage-cum-surf shack with not much more than determination, a love of Zinfandel and a kick-ass idea:  he wanted to make four “killer zins” from the four top appellations for old vine Zinfandel grapes:  Napa, Sonoma, Amador and Paso Robles.  Four Vines exploded onto the scene with “Maverick,” “Sophisticate” and “Biker.”  Each wine reflects the unique flavors, structure and character imparted by terroir, a reflection of the soil, air, water and surroundings in which the grapes were grown, while also showing the bold, fruit-forward, food-friendly style that would become Christian’s trademark.  Sultry, velvety Syrahs came next and Christian moved to Paso Robles to build a winery and immerse himself in the wild western frontier of California-grown Rhone varietals.  In Paso, Chris went native.  He dove head first into the surf of nearby Cayucos (a local break is aptly named “Killers”) and into the juice of the big red grapes that thrived in the heat of this valley (in nearby Kiler Canyon he planted Tempranillo, Syrah, Mourvedre). 

Christian’s approach to winemaking is simple:  great grapes, great barrels, great equipment and no compromises. Nicknamed the “Zinbitch” by his cohorts, Christian rolled out the first two wines of his high-end line, which he affectionately refers to as “the Freak Show.”   “Anarchy” & “Heretic” took the wine world by storm.  The bottles seduce with their sexy, over the top, engraved labels, referencing the Sex Pistols and Christian’s punk rocker past.  “Anarchy” is an unconventional Rhone blend: unexpectedly pairing spicy, brambly old vine Paso Zin with Syrah and Mourvedre. “Heretic” brings a pure, passionate, no holds barred approach to Paso Petite Sirah. The market was ready, and so were the critics.  Christian earned his first high marks from the Wine Spectator, and suddenly the world was ready for more Freaks.

Not to be left entirely out of the white wine conversation, Christian created an equally bold statement in white. Naked Chardonnay was the first no-oak chard introduced in California, inspired by Christian’s love of food and past work as an aspiring chef.  Soon to follow were some extraordinary single vineyard wines:  Dusi, Bailey, One Tree Hill…as well as more Freaks:  Peasant, Loco, Phoenix, Monarchy and Cypher.   These powerful, stylish reds showcase the best of terroir-based winemaking, while retaining an eclectic approach.  Giant red wines with outrageous attitude, intriguing blends and unique marketing geared toward Gen X, Gen Y and those Boomers who think they can keep up.   This year, the best of the Rhone winemakers bestowed upon Christian their highest honor, by choosing his wine, the 2006 Four Vines Syrah Santa Barbara Los Alamos Vineyard One Tree Hill Block, as the best Syrah at the 2009 Hospice du Rhone Syrah Shoot Out.  Today with partners Susan Mahler and Billy Grant, Christian Tietje continues to push the limits of full-contact winemaking.