Four Vines Wines on KensWineGuide.com
KensWineGuide.com is home of the Internet’s most comprehensive wine buying guide. Reviews by Ken and the KWG tasting panel will help you find that perfect bottle of wine for any occasion. Ken’s Wine Guide consolidates professional ratings from eight of the leading wine rating publications and highlights notable wines, restaurants, wineries, places to stay and other wine fun for novices and enthusiasts alike. Read what Ken has to say about Four Vines Wines here!
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Tasting Highlights: California Zinfandel
10 excellent reds from new and familiar faces
alike who continue to impress with
the potentially outstanding 2006 vintage
Tim Fish, Posted on winespectator.com
Monday, November 03, 2008 |
Zinfandel lovers haven't had it this good in a long time. The 2006 vintages of Napa and Sonoma Zin are potentially outstanding, and in this week's selection of new releases you'll find both new wineries that are starting off strong and familiar wineries with track records for excellence.
Topping the list are two Zinfandels from Four Vines, a Paso Robles-based winery that is consistently among the top producers. Winemaker Christian Tietje likes big wines that are loaded with personality. The Sophisticate bottling from Sonoma County is the more stylish of the two; the Biker from Paso Robles has a touch of Mourvèdre in the blend and is for thrill seekers.
Mazzocco winemaker Antoine Favero has released the first of his 2006s and demonstrates that his 2005 Zinfandels were not a fluke.
Barbieri is a familiar name to fans of old-vine Zinfandel. Planted in 1906, the Russian River vineyard was made popular by De Loach Vineyards in the 1990s and now winemaker Adam Lee of Novy has access to some of those gnarly old vines. Lee only made 71 cases of the 2006 Barbieri Vineyard, so act fast.
Michael Chiarello is best known as a TV chef, but his Chiarello Family winery consistently makes Zins that are rich yet elegantly food-friendly. The winemaker is Thomas Brown, who also runs the cellar at Schrader and Outpost. Giana Vineyard, named for Chiarello's youngest daughter, produces low yields.
Dutcher Crossing is a family-run winery that doesn't get much play outside Sonoma County, but with the help of veteran winemaker Kerry Damskey, the Healdsburg winery has produced an impressive 2006 with its Dry Creek Valley Proprietor's Reserve. It's a blend of four vineyards and has 8 percent Petite Sirah for added kick.
Ravenswood has had its share of ups and downs with Zinfandel over the years, but the 2006 single-vineyard wines are a noticeable step up from the 2004 and 2005 vintages, particularly the Teldeschi (Dry Creek Valley) and Belloni (Russian River Valley) bottlings.
FOUR VINES Zinfandel Paso Robles Biker 2006 Score: 92 | $25
Pedal-to-the-metal Zinfandel, with wild berry and toasty licorice aromas and full-bodied, ripe and exotic huckleberry, peppered beef and loam flavors that build toward a tight, rustic finish. Best from 2010 through 2014. 3,500 cases made. —T.F.
FOUR VINES Zinfandel Sonoma County The Sophisticate 2006 Score: 92 | $25
This big, zesty Zinfandel offers wild berry, cracked pepper and sage aromas, with ripe but balanced and appealingly layered plum, licorice and smoky meat flavors that linger on the finish. Drink now through 2013. 1,200 cases made. —T.F.
NOVY Zinfandel Russian River Valley Barbieri Vineyard 2006 Score: 92 | $33
Complex and full-bodied, yet elegantly styled, with loamy plum and licorice aromas and intense, layered blueberry, smoky meat and cracked pepper flavors that slowly take on tannins on the long finish. Drink now through 2013. 71 cases made. —T.F.
CHIARELLO FAMILY Zinfandel Napa Valley Giana 2006 Score: 91 | $35
Jammy and ripe, but remains balanced and elegant, with boysenberry and toasty vanilla aromas and complex, supple black cherry, smoky sage and cracked pepper flavors. Hint of tannins grip the finish. Drink now through 2013. 550 cases made. —T.F.
DUTCHER CROSSING Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Proprietor's Reserve 2006 Score: 91 | $27
Offers classic Zinfandel aromas of wild berry, underbrush and licorice, with complex yet rustic black cherry, cracked pepper and sage flavors that build toward zesty tannins on the finish. Drink now through 2014. 459 cases made. —T.F.
MAZZOCCO Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley West Dry Creek 2006 Score: 91 | $32
Zesty, ripe and a bit on the wild side, with boysenberry and toasty licorice aromas and full-bodied, ultrajammy plum, pepper and sage flavors. Drink now through 2013. 150 cases made. —T.F.
MAURITSON Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Grower's Reserve 2005 Score: 88 | $35
Offers enticing smoky and briary black cherry aromas and zesty, medium-bodied wild berry, cracked pepper and licorice notes that finish with slightly rustic tannins. Drink now through 2013. 257 cases made. —T.F.
MAZZOCCO Zinfandel Alexander Valley Stone 2006 Score: 88 | $29
Superripe and zesty, with wild berry and licorice aromas and jammy black raspberry, smoky cedar and pepper flavors that finish with some rustic tannins and heat. Drink now through 2014. 600 cases made. —T.F.
RAVENSWOOD Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Teldeschi 2006 Score: 88 | $35
Aromas of black raspberry and spice lead to zesty, appealing rustic flavors of cherry, licorice and toasty dill. Drink now through 2012. 4,745 cases made. —T.F.
RAVENSWOOD Zinfandel Russian River Valley Belloni 2006 Score: 88 | $35
This is an old-school Sonoma Zinfandel that's easy to like, offering cherry, cedar and underbrush aromas and layered, nicely structured boysenberry, licorice and pepper flavors that finish with zesty tannins. Drink now through 2014. 1,205 cases made. —T.F.
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Paso Robles Vintner Likes to Experiment, with Great Results
Ventura County Star, Wednesday, July 30, 2008
The Four Vines Winery tasting room in Paso Robles is different than most you will visit. If you are planning a trip to Paso Robles, this should be on your list of wineries to visit.
The wines are fantastic, you will love the tasting glass you get to keep (that is all I will say), and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable.
Did I mention the wines are fantastic? Many have received high scores from critics. The Four Vines 2004 Heretic, an old-vine petite syrah, made Wine Spectator's list of the top 100 wines of 2007, at No. 41.
Winemaker Christian Tietje is a hedonist. He is passionate about wine — about making it, drinking it and bringing people together to enjoy it.
Tietje learned to love balanced, food-driven wines as an aspiring young chef in Boston. In 1992, he moved to California, determined to become a winemaker.
After a time in Napa Valley working with conventional varietals, Tietje fell for old-vine zinfandel and what he describes as alternative reds. This pursuit led him to the soils of the Central Coast and Paso Robles.
Today, with the help of partners Susan Mahler and Bill Grant, Four Vines has become one of the true adventures in wine. Its lineup is an outrageous conglomeration of old-vine zinfandel from Amador, Paso Robles, Sonoma and Napa; eclectic Rhone blends; tempranillo; and the original "naked" chardonnay from Santa Barbara — all steeped in attitude.
"We like to name the wines to reflect the personalities conveyed by the wines and my underlying irreverence for the pretension of wine," Tietje said. "It is our job to push people to try alternative reds, move them out of their comfort zone and keep the adventure of wine moving forward. If anything, the wines rock, and we have a hell of a lot of fun.
"Making great wine starts in the vineyard with great fruit, and I build flavors from there. That is why the core of Four Vines is working from the best and oldest vineyards in California. We go where the magic is."
The zins include a number of old-vine, single-vineyard designates, like the Paso Robles Dusi Ranch and the Deaver Vineyard from Amador County. Four appellation-specific zins with names like Biker, Sophisticate and Maverick are big, rich, fruit-driven wines that reflect the terroir of the different regions of California. Four Vines is a study of zinfandel that zin lovers should seek out and savor.
The other side of the winery is based in the calcium-rich soils of Paso Robles, which are perfectly suited to the Rhone, Spanish and Portuguese varietals. Mourvedre, syrah, grenache, counoise, tannat, tempranillo, alicante, touriga, trousseau, tinta cao, souzao — these are lesser-known, wild varietals that Tietje crafts into what he calls "the freak show."
These are art wines. Eclectic Rhone blends like The Peasant and Anarchy push the envelope and redefine sophisticated country wine. The monster tempranillo, de Toro Loco, and the old-vine petite syrah Heretic are new standards of the style that the Paso Robles region is capable of producing.
"My hope is that these wines will push people to step out of their wine-drinking rut, seek out and try the exciting world of alternative red wine," Tietje said. "Dig the art, dig the wine "
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Paso Robles and Four Vines Rock! Biker Anarchy!
Thursday, April 24 , 2008 by lifeinwine.blogspot.com
I misbehaved. I freely admit it. I have no excuse.
But I do have an explanation. It’s an explanation predicated on greed. And the damage done to courtesy and boundaries when alcohol intake reaches a certain level.
Greed and drunkenness. Not terribly original reasons for misbehaving, I’ll grant you. Still, I’d have held the reins of restraint more firmly had the wine reps from Paso Robles not been overrun by thirsty wine drinkers eager to sample the wares of the tasting room. The reps had a dozen wines on the back table, and a wave of people poured into the room, and the reps got caught up, and new arrivals didn’t know what to do, and so I acted as Honorary Wine Rep and poured a wee dram for a few of them and oh heck, from there it was an easy step to helping my own self.
Yes, that is my sin: I helped myself to a second pour of The Biker. The end of the tasting was at hand, and we were debating whether the Anarchy or The Biker was better, so I thought I’d better re-sample my two favorites of the evening. At least I observed protocol by ASKING for a second taste of Anarchy. I also got a disapproving look, but I decided I could live with that. Especially after a second sip of Anarchy.
What a pity more Rhone blends don’t emulate Anarchy! I typically prefer Bordeaux blends, but Andie has been digging the Rhones, so I’m trying. I don’t have to try with the Anarchy. How could anyone NOT like it? It’s the Barack Obama/Ron Paul blend, nodding to tradition while standing it on its head. You don’t want to try it, that’s your problem. And it leaves more for ME.
“Temperance, like Chastity, is its own punishment.” (from the Four Vines website)
The winemaker at Four Vines, Christian Tietje, proudly proclaims his hedonism on the entertaining website for the Paso Robles winery, http://www.fourvines.com/ A hedonist. No WONDER he’s a lover of Zin! With Anarchy, instead of the usual GSM, he’s kept the Mourvedre but booted the Grenache in favor of Zinfandel.
Anarchy is, essentially, an SMZ, a Syrah-based blend that is a luscious mouthful of rich black fruit and spice. Lisa picked it as her favorite of the evening, although she also was very taken with the upper-end 2006 Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc from the Tablas Creek Vineyard. (Which was a much more . . . reserved . . . tasting in the front room of the Rat.) Me, I can’t bring myself to pay upwards of $40 for a white wine. Not this night, anyway. Because The Biker, a kickass Zin with the same wonderful blackberry, spice and vanilla as the flagship Old Vine Cuvee, gets a little something extra from Tietje’s “splash of Mourvedre.”
Mind you, I didn’t get anything extra from The Biker bottle, as my companion happily took possession of my stolen pour. So much for greed.
We met the loveliest couple at this tasting, but, probably due yet again to my happily tipsy state, I neglected to ask their names. He was a wine snob – I say this approvingly – and he was firm about his favorite of the tasting: The Heretic. I can’t in good faith disagree with him. The Heretic is lovely, big and lush, an old vine Petite Sirah that is intense and impressive, deeply purple as PS’s are, silky and structured. Whoa Mama! Christian Tietje again, with the Freak Show line from Four Vines.
We absolutely loved the female half of this couple, She – a willowy, pretty brunette with a killer smile – likes the same wines and the same restaurants as we do. What’s not to like? They were, in fact, en route to our favorite eatery, having snagged the primo 7:45 reservation while WE were lucky to get penciled in for 8:30. It was fun, seeing them again!
But hey, Mr. Wine Snob (you know who you are), how can you go from big Zins and Petite Sirahs to the. . . ahem. . . understated “charms” of a Pinot Noir? HOW??? And at Pot Pie, which offers both the Seghesio Zinfandel and Guenoc Petite Sirah? How could a Pinot Noir tempt you???
More to the point, how could you even TASTE it, after the massive, peppery, dark-berried voluptuousness of the Four Vines offerings?? Harrumph. Anyway, thanks for the ZAP tip, and we do hope to run into you again. BOTH of you.
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Tasting Notes from Paso Robles Grand Tasting Tour
February 28, 2008 by hotcosts
With over 140 wines being poured from 40 wineries, HotCosts’ tasters had to be selective! We focused on small-lot artesian wines that you would not find at the local store. Same as we like to promote on HotCosts.com. Here are the notes along with interesting items we learned about the winery:
Four Vines Winery- Here’s a serious winery with a great sense of humor. It shows in the staff and the wine. Known for their monster red zins, they have added considerably more product since I last visited them. 05 Biker Zin ($24) 70% dusi ranch. How do they get such big flavor with balance like the biker?? Power packed with cherry, rasberry, pepper and spice flavors. The wine’s structure is classic with elegant tannins and brisk acids with a smooth vanilla finish. 05 Loco Tempranillo ($38) 90% tempranillo blended with Syrah and Grenache. Another huge wine. Nose and palate of black cherry, currants, and black peppers. Very powerful and tannic and needs age, but I thought it was nicely balanced.
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Canadian Censorship SNAFU Over 4V Peasant Label
by Jamie Gingerz
I private ordered this great Paso Robles wine around 4 months ago and it arrived last month. "Picture a night with Bridget Bardot wrapped in velvet". That's how Winemaker Christian Tietje describes his wine.
Wow, another rocking wine from Paso Robles. That's two weeks in a row. Must be some kind of record. I was so happy when this wine arrived last week. Ever since I first tasted it with David Thompson around 4 months ago I have anticipating its arrival. When I retasted with the staff last Friday I was not disappointed. In fact I felt that the wine had evolved somewhat. This is one of those wines that I just KNOW will vanish as soon as it finds its way onto our wine list. The labelling design itself is sure to turn a few heads: Beneath a medieval woodcut of a peasant imbibing from a rather sizeable drinking vessel lie the words "Temperance, like Chastity, is its own punishment". If ever there were words to live by.
Anyway, smart marketing aside, let's get on to the wine itself. It's an odd blend for Paso Robles actually: Mourvedre/Syrah/Grenache/Counoise/Tannat. It's quite the Southern Rhône soup of grapes actually. And I love it because it contains one of my all time favourite varietals, Counoise, which I like mainly because I think it sounds sort-of rude. The nose is delightfully woodsmoky and almost tarry (almost like smouldering railway sleepers/ties) with masses and masses of intense black fruit and tobacco. On the palate one feels the 15.3% alcohol, but it is in perfect balance with the rest of the wine. The black fruits continue but are supported by star anise and some forward but judicious oak influences.
I know I don't really want to think about the coming Autumn, but this is actually the perfect wine to have with the smokey flavours of Fall cuisine.
Oh, and I THINK that the Winemaker was referring to Bridget Bardot circa 1955."
Anyway... the 71 bottles arrived with a bug ugly sticker over the back label... the back label simply displayed the blend's grape breakdown and told you that there were only around 750 cases made...
So, confused, I contacted the Liquour Control Board Of Ontario... the provincial Wine and Spirits monopoly... and I asked them what was up...
The very helpful Stephen Cater informed me that the LCBO had seen problems with the labelling:
"Image definately violates the EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION portion of the liquour licence act. The text on temperance removes any ambiguity that excessive consumption is intended in image. May be sold in PRIVATE STOCK if image is covered"
But it appears that they censored the wrong side...
Oh well... what to do?
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Paso Robles Winery Uses Unusual Marketing Tactic to Promote Wine
KSBY 6 Action News, Reported by: Rob Carlmark
Thursday, August 16, 2007
PASO ROBLES. A field of dwarf barley might catch your eye if you catch a flight over Paso Robles.
No, it is not a sign from some politically active space aliens; it is a new marketing tactic by a local winery.
Four Vines winery in Paso Robles took a lawn-mower to a field to promote their Anarchy wine to the tune of a 100 square foot scar.
The sign was made about a week and a half ago and can be seen from as high as 5,000 feet.
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Four Vines Winery, Naked Chardonnay 2005 Santa Barbara County
Biba-Restaurant.com July 2007 We came across Four Vines Winery by serendipity. Several months ago, while driving to Santa Barbara, a brief stop in Paso Robles proved very exciting. We found the Four Vines tasting room and some very special wines, along Highway 46 West. Winemaker Christian Tietje and Susan A. Mahler created Four Vines Winery in the mid 1990s with a passion for rich Zinfandels. Relocated in Paso Robles six or seven years ago, they were later joined by Bill Grant, and together the trio produces fantastic red wines, especially Zinfandel and Rhone-style blends, from diverse appellations and with a wide range of styles. But, this month, I want to describe an unusual, at least for many in California, and perfectly delightful white wine, the Naked Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County.
The “Naked” refers to the unoaked style of winemaking. The grapes were sourced from three vineyards in Cat Canyon, fermented completely in stainless steel tanks without malolactic fermentation, thus permitting the fruit character of chardonnay to predominate without the butterscotch or tutti-frutti overtones typical of so many chardonnays. Make no mistake, this wine is not a fruit bomb, but rather a perfectly balanced wine with crisp acidity, flavors of apple, peach, and pear, with a backbone of minerality, and just a subtle hint of sweetness on the finish. An ideal food wine and a great summer aperitivo, we recently enjoyed a bottle with crab cakes and grilled summer vegetables.
Congratulations to the trio at Four Vines. The Naked Chardonnay is currently served as Wine by the Glass, and is a big hit. The tasting room is located at 3750 Highway 46 West, Templeton, CA 93447.
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Cool Names Just Another Reason to Sample Wines of Four Vines
By Laurie Daniel
The San Luis Obispo Tribune, Wednesday, June 13 - At Four Vines Winery in Paso Robles, there’s a spirit that’s infectious, especially when it comes to what are known as the “freak show” wines, bottlings with names like Heretic and Loco.
But even without the cool names, these would be wines worth seeking out. I tasted the 2005 freak show wines — all of them priced at $38 — not long ago. Here’s a recap.
I found the 2005 Anarchy, a blend of syrah, zinfandel and mourvedre, to be the most immediately approachable of the bunch and not at all unruly. It offers plenty of juicy blackberry fruit, some nice spice, firm structure and a long finish.
Also fine to drink now is the 2005 Peasant, which is mostly mourvedre and syrah, with smaller amounts of grenache, counoise and tannat. This is no rustic country-dweller. It’s robust but refined, with ripe blackberry fruit, notes of clove, nutmeg and mocha and firm structure.
Perhaps there was a time when it seemed like madness to blend tempranillo and syrah to create the wine called Loco, but the 2005 is just right: big and bold, with ripe berry, mocha and firm tannins. It’s still quite tight but should shed its straitjacket with some more time in the bottle.
Coming soon is the 2005 Heretic Petite Sirah. It definitely needs the time but shows great promise, with big, rich flavors of dark berry and drying tannins. It will make you a believer in petite sirah.
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Zinfandel Uptick
By Tim Fish
Wine Spectator Online, June 30, 2007 -- California has produced its best lineup of Zinfandels in a decade with the 2004 and 2005 vintages. The wines are now on wineshop shelves, and whether you're into big, jammy reds or more refined versions, these two years offer the best of both worlds.
While the current roster of Zinfandels delivers more than the usual quota of high-scoring wines, both vintages—as is always the case with Zinfandel—have highs and lows. "Mixed bag" could be the middle name of this grape, which ripens erratically even within the same bunch. No California wine varies more widely from year to year than Zinfandel.
But the wine's quirkiness and youthful exuberance are part of its attraction. Although the Zinfandel grape is genetically identical to Italy's Primitivo, Zinfandel is uniquely American. It was the workhorse grape of early Italian immigrants in California; some of the vines planted in the late 1800s still produce wine.
The cost of top Zinfandels continues to climb slowly (many top labels are priced in the $40 to $50 range), but this varietal also offers some of the best values among California reds, with many high quality examples selling for $15 to $30. At those prices, Zinfandel remains a versatile wine for everyday drinking, and it makes a suitable match for hearty summer foods such as hamburgers, pizza, barbecued ribs and boldly flavored pork, beef and even chicken dishes.
Since Wine Spectator's last Zinfandel report (Buying Guide, June 30, 2006), senior editor James Laube and I have rated more than 260 wines in blind tastings. Almost three dozen wines scored 90 points or more on Wine Spectator's 100-point scale. For now, a slight preference is given to the 2005 vintage, with a preliminary rating of 89-91 points in both Sonoma and Napa making it the best Zinfandel vintage since 1997. The 2004 Sonoma Zinfandels rate 86, while Napa Zinfandels from the same vintage score 85 points. Many producers have yet to release their 2005s, so a final assessment of the vintage will be made next year.
Although Cabernet may rule in Napa and Chardonnay in Sonoma, Zinfandel is more difficult to peg regionally. Many of the best vineyards cluster in Napa and Sonoma, but excellent Zinfandels are produced from Mendocino to Paso Robles, and from the San Francisco Bay to Lodi in the Central Valley.
Three 93-point Zinfandels lead the pack in this report. Martinelli Russian River Valley Giuseppe & Luisa 2005 ($48), which was crafted by winemaker Helen Turley, explodes with ripe layers of blackberry, cracked pepper and smoky-meaty oak, balancing supple texture with focused acidity. The rich and concentrated Rubicon Estate Rutherford Edizione Pennino 2004 ($40) delivers loamy, bram-bleberry fruit and hints of pepper. Orin Swift The Prisoner Napa Valley 2005 ($35), a Zinfandel blend, offers zesty wild berry and spice, with a well-structured and focused core of blackberry fruit.
Seven Zinfandels scored 92 points; four of them came from producers who are old hands at the Zin game: Dashe Dry Creek Valley Louvau Vineyard Old Vines 2004 ($32), Hartford Family Russian River Valley Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard 2005 ($50), Haywood Sonoma Valley Rocky Terrace Los Chamizal Vineyard 2004 ($35) and Navarro Mendocino 2004 ($19).
Paso Robles winery Four Vines made two great values, the Amador County Maverick 2004 (92, $20) and the Sonoma County The Sophisticate 2004 (92, $20). Rounding out our list of top 10 Zinfandels is the first release from Ulises Valdez, a vineyard manager who has been working the fields of Sonoma County for two decades. Consulting winemaker Jeff Cohn lent his talents to the Valdez Russian River Valley Lancel Creek Reserve 2004 (92, $35), a knockout debut.
At $19, the Navarro Mendocino 2004, elegantly styled yet complex, bursts with berry and pepper flavors. The Cline Sonoma County 2004 (91, $20) features ripe black raspberry and plum, with smoky and jammy flavors.
Good choices are available for $12 or less, including three perennial favorites: Cline California 2005 (85, $10), Rosenblum California Vintner's Cuvee XXIX (84, $12) and Smoking Loon California 2005 (84, $9). For other top-scoring and value Zinfandels, see the chart on page 94.
The 2004 Zinfandels are generally ripe and jammy, and the 2005s are typically focused and elegant. But some wines defy their vintage profile, such as the superripe Martinelli 2005 and the elegant and juicy Navarro 2004.
The 2004 vintage was warm. "We got blasted with heat during harvest," Sonoma County winemaker Ted Seghesio says. The heat caused ripeness and sugar levels to soar, a situation that has pros and cons. On the one hand, heat gives these wines a jammy, sweet core of fruit, but it may cause alcohol levels to shoot up to 16 percent or more, potentially creating a wine that tastes overdone and alcoholic.
"In '04 it was possible to miss the window of opportunity on ripeness," Seghesio says. "It doesn't take long to go from nice ripe blackberry to prune and raisin, qualities we try to avoid." Those same bursts of heat can also fool winemakers into harvesting Zinfandel grapes that have high sugar levels but that don't have physiologically mature flavors and tannins.
"In many cases in 2004, sugars got away from people," Ravens-wood winemaker Joel Peterson says. "In 2005, we were able to pick when we wanted to pick. The wines seem very well proportioned."
The 2005 vintage got off to an early start in March with unusually warm weather. But cold and soggy conditions persisted through June, and the summer was unseasonably cool. As harvest approached, winemakers worried because crop sizes were generally large but ripeness lagged. Favorable weather did, however, continue through the fall.
Because of the extended growing season, many 2005 Zinfandels offer good acidity and structure and a vibrant core of fruit. The wines are generally less jammy than the 2004s and offer fresh black cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors.
"The bottom line is 2005 was a flavor-bomb year," says Christian Tietje, winemaker of Four Vines Winery in Paso Robles. "And if people knew how to take advantage of that, the wines rocked."
On the downside, some 2005s are austere, with a slight hole in the midpalate; the long cool growing season in many regions did not deliver that pop of ripeness and fleshiness that typically fills out the wines. In general, the 2005s are more tannic and sometimes more herbaceous than the 2004s. A little more time in bottle may make all the difference.
We'll keep track of new 2005 Zinfandels and late-release 2004s as they arrive. For now, it looks like Zinfandel lovers are in for a long, good-tasting summer.
Tim Fish is a California-based associate editor of Wine Spectator.
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Four Vines
By MaryAnn Worobiec Bovio
Wine Spectator, March 31, 2007-- Winemaker Christian Tietje founded Paso Robles-based Four Vines Winery in 1996 as a multi-appellation Zinfandel project. But Tietje's focus has evolved, and Four Vines now produces a number of Rhône-style reds, among them a collection that Tietje nicknames "The Freak Show." These bottlings, which feature unconventional names and labels, are some of the most exciting wines to come out of Paso Robles: Four of the five in current release scored 90 points or higher.
The top-rated of the group is the Petite Sirah Paso Robles The Heretic 2004 (93 points, $30), whose back label reads, "Scream at complacency, crush conformity. Live a life less ordinary. Be the heretic. Drink real wine." The Peasant Glenrose Vineyard Paso Robles 2004 (91, $30) is an intense, fruity Syrah blend that announces on its bottle, "Temperance, like chastity, is its own punishment." The Anarchy Paso Robles 2004 is a stylish, fleshy blend of Syrah, Zinfandel and Mourvèdre (90, $30) and features the traditional anarchy symbol more often associated with punk-rock bands than wine bottles.
After years of restaurant and wineshop experience in Boston, Tietje came to the Bay area in 1990, where he worked for a wine wholesaler and spent a harvest at Carneros Creek Winery. The experience convinced him to become a full-time winemaker. He began experimenting with his own wines and lending help on other winemakers' projects.
When it came to founding his own label, he started by focusing on Zinfandel. "It's an underground grape, with a cult following at best," says Tietje, who revels in demonstrating a wine's regional qualities—and, when possible, its single-vineyard characteristics—and is a purist about such distinctions.
Tietje has been making Syrah from the outset of his Four Vines venture, but the "Freak Show" bottlings officially debuted with the 2001 Anarchy. This Rhône-inspired lineup of wines pushes the envelope of the winery's rebellious marketing, since Tietje believes that people are drawn to what's on the outside of a bottle as well as what's inside. "It's art on the bottle, it's art in the bottle," he says. "When the wine's really good, you can get away with what's on the label."
Four Vines is a three-way partnership comprising Tietje, his wife, Susan "Sam" Mahler, and Bill Grant, a childhood friend of Tietje's and a successful businessman. Grant, whose business card reads "Zin Pimp," was one of Tietje's earliest customers and helped influence his move toward more irreverent wines.
Four Vines purchases the majority of its grapes from more than 20 different growers, and in addition to the "Freak Show" wines Tietje continues to make an array of distinctive Zinfandels, including three outstanding '04s. Other highlights include the inspiring Syrah Amador County Bailey Vineyard 2004 (93, $24) and the Syrah Paso Robles 2004 (88, $15), this latter a fine value. In whites, the Four Vines Naked Chardonnay is an unoaked wine sourced from Santa Barbara vineyards and produced with no malolactic fermentation.
Tietje says that his restaurant, retail and wholesale background has influenced the marketing course of the winery. "We don't play the mainstream game at all," he says. "We want to challenge [wine lovers]. Knowing what everyone else is doing, it's easy to walk in the other direction."
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Syrah Continues to Gain Momentum with Stunning New Wine
By James Laube
Wine Spectator Online, January 12, 2007-- If Ann Colgin were a head football coach instead of a winery owner, she might be embroiled in a quarterback controversy.
Her two wines from her IX Estate, a Cabernet blend and a Syrah, are making it hard to decide which of the two is the better wine.
Luckily, no one has to choose between them. But it's amazing how good her Syrahs are and, to my taste, this is one fascinating comparison.
Elsewhere, some of the steady producers of the past few years—DuMOL, JC Cellars, Lewis, Novy, Pax, Rosenblum and Shafer—have brilliant new wines. I also liked the new Syrahs from Failla, Four Vines and Krupp. The Olson Ogden Syrah from Dry Creek Valley is the best wine from that Sonoma appellation that I can remember tasting.
Wine, Score,
Price
COLGIN Syrah Napa Valley IX Estate 2004, 96, NA
Intense and beefy, with pepper, sage and wild berry flavors that are hearty and rustic yet enormously complex and compelling, with waves of flavors gushing across the palate. Drink now through 2014. 469 cases made. —J.L.
FAILLA Syrah Sonoma Coast 2004, 94, $54
Exotic smoke, ripe plum and blackberry aromas are enticing, spreading out and gaining richness and depth on the finish, where the spice, mineral, herb and pebble notes add complexity to both the texture and flavor. Deeply concentrated, impeccably balanced. Drink now through 2013. 175 cases made. —J.L.
LEWIS Alec's Blend Napa Valley 2004, 94, $56
Wonderfully rich and flavorful, with a broad array of supple plum, blackberry and wild berry fruit that fans out on the palate, supported by ripe, supple tannins and a long, elegant, graceful finish. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2011. 450 cases made. —J.L.
SHAFER Relentless Napa Valley 2003, 94, $63
A hearty, robust style, with firm, rich mineral, wild berry and blueberry fruit accented by spice, mineral and hints of mocha and earth. Finishes with dense, chewy tannins. Syrah and Petite Sirah. Best from 2008 through 2013. 2,500 cases made. —J.L.
FOUR VINES Syrah Amador County Bailey Vineyard 2004, 93, $24
An inspiring Syrah, rich, ripe and intense yet fleshy, with layers of blackberry, wild berry, plum and raspberry notes, with pretty spice and pepper scents. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and a long finish. I'm tempted to say this is the best Sierra Foothills wine I've ever tasted. Enjoy it now for its youthful exuberance. Drink now through 2011. 421 cases made. —J.L.
JC CELLARS Syrah Napa Valley Philary Vineyard 2004, 93, $75
A ripe, opulent style, with rich berry, currant and raspberry fruit, but also a supple texture and a long, graceful finish. Drink now through 2011. 36 cases made. —J.L.
LEWIS Syrah Napa Valley 2004, 93, $70
Bold, rich, dense and concentrated, with layers of earthy blackberry, wild berry, currant and pretty toasty vanilla oak shadings that give it an added dimension of flavor. Intense and vibrant through the finish, with lively acidity and firm, muscular tannins. Drink now through 2012. 150 cases made. —J.L.
OLSON OGDEN Syrah Dry Creek Valley Unti Vineyard 2004, 93, $33
Beautifully crafted, with delicious fruit purity, exhibiting layers of ripe plum, blackberry, wild berry and peppery-earthy scents. Impressive too is the texture, which is smooth and polished. It firms up on the finish, but it's still all about the fruit. Drink now through 2012. 181 cases made. —J.L.
DUMOL Syrah Russian River Valley 2004, 92, $52
This wine offers a lively beam of wild berry and boysenberry fruit that's rich, intense and concentrated, finishing with firm tannins and a pretty hint of hazelnut and spice. Best from 2008 through 2012. 1,620 cases made. —J.L.
KRUPP BROTHERS Syrah Napa Valley Black Bart Stagecoach Vineyards 2004, 92, $50
Ripe and lively, with intense, supple red plum and black cherry fruit that is supple and polished at this youthful age. The finish reveals layers of fruit and spice, with a firm tannic backbone. Drink now through 2011. 900 cases made. —J.L.
NOVY Syrah Napa Valley Page-Nord Vineyard 2004, 92, $32
Intense and concentrated, with a grapey blackberry and wild berry presentation of dark fruit. Well-focused, deftly balanced, with a beam of flavors that's long and vibrant on the finish. Drink now through 2012. 419 cases made. —J.L.
ROSENBLUM Syrah Solano County England-Shaw Vineyard 200, 92, $35
Floral plum, wild berry and blackberry aromas carry over to the palate, turning supple and rich, with mineral, pepper and cherry notes that are long and focused. Drink now through 2010. 3,450 cases made. —J.L.
FOUR VINES Phoenix Paso Robles 2004, 91, $40
For those who prefer powerful Syrahs. Very ripe, rich and concentrated, with an earthy mix of cherry, rhubarb, tar and spice flavors that are intense and persistent, with very ripe tannins. Drink now through 2011. 98 cases made. —J.L.
FOUR VINES Anarchy Paso Robles 2004, 90, $30
Exuberant fruitiness, ripe, fleshy and enticing, with a mix of black cherry, blackberry, spice and a hint of cherry rhubarb pie. Supple and elegant on the palate, making it a big, expressive yet stylish wine. Syrah, Zinfandel and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2010. 900 cases made. —J.L.
PAX Syrah Russian River Valley Castelli-Knight Ranch 200, 91, $55
Intense and concentrated, this firm, muscular youngster is packed with wild berry, pepper, earth and leather scents. It finishes with a rich, mouthcoating aftertaste but also substantial tannins that may be with it for life. Decant. Drink now through 2012. 336 cases made. —J.L.
HOLBROOK Syrah Santa Barbara County 2003, 90, $16
A forward, ripe and fleshy style, compelling with its supple mix of wild berry, boysenberry and blackberry fruit and pretty toasty oak shadings. Drink now through 2011. 2,250 cases made. —J.L.
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James Laube Unfined
An Exciting Discovery From Paso Robles
Wine Spectator Online, December 06, 2006 -- When you can say that a winery makes a lot of great wine at terrific prices, well, that’s a magical thing.
This week I discovered such a winery—Four Vines, founded in 1996. In the words of one of its owners, "This is one of the largest wineries in Paso Robles you’ve never heard of."
Though Four Vines isn't exactly new, this was the first time the winery had submitted wines for review, and tasting them was a real treat.
Four Vines' concept was to tap old-vine Zinfandel from Amador, Napa, Paso Robles and Sonoma—an idea that gave way to a much wider range of wines and styles. Wine drinkers benefit from these diverse and economical options.
Christian Tietge, who is the winemaker, founded Four Vines and partnered with his wife, Susan Mahler, an earth sciences major with a passion for vines, and Bill Grant. Grant, a childhood friend of Tietge's and a successful businessman, oversees the winery business.
The wines I tried in a blind tasting were big and ripe, expressive yet well-balanced. While Zinfandel remains a favorite, the winery has moved toward varietal blends, and has one wine, a $14 stainless steel fermented, non-oaked Chardonnay from Santa Maria Valley, called “Naked Chardonnay,” that is the cash cow, with 30,000 cases.
Another 28,000 cases of wine make up the rest of the lineup and the names they use for the wines—Anarchy, The Heretic and The Peasant—reflect a playful, cutting-edge irreverence. These are wines made by people with a commitment to excellence and value, and they seem to have fun doing it.
Here are a few of my favorites. Full reviews will be available soon.
The 2004 Four Vines Amador County Bailey Vineyard ($24, 421 cases) is the best Syrah I can recall from this Sierra Foothills appellation. It’s rich and flashy, packed with berry, pepper and spice flavors.
The 2004 Phoenix Paso Robles ($40, 98 cases) is a Rhône-inspired blend that combines power with finesse, offering a mix of cherry, rhubarb, tar, spice and earth flavors.
The 2004 Anarchy Paso Robles ($30, 900 cases) is another exuberant Rhône blend, exhibiting tiers of black cherry, blackberry, spice and a hint of cherry-rhubarb pie.
At $15, the 2004 Syrah Paso Robles (293 cases) is a great value. Firm, intense and complex, with earthy rhubarb, wild berry, sage, spice and cedar notes, turning elegant on the finish.
The Peasant Glenrose Vineyard Paso Robles 2004 ($30, 636 cases) is also fruit-driven, with layers of fleshy blackberry, cherry and boysenberry fruit. Intense and lively.
The Heretic Petite Sirah Paso Robles 2004 ($30, 885 cases) shows this grape at its best. Delightfully rich and deep, ripe and fleshy, with a complex mix of currant, wild berry and blackberry fruit that's sharply focused. For all its size, it's lively and vibrant.
These are truly exciting wines at excellent prices. Hard to beat that.
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