Four Vines Wines

Four Vines Winery celebrates California Zinfandel with an array of rebellious wine names like Maverick and Biker, though they've added a "naked" Chardonnay. As is typically the case, they're not making 100% pure Zinfandel, but rather using creative blends that may surprise you. In the hands of a talented winemaker, adding that 5% Petite Sirah or 8% Tempranillo or some other grape might be just the right thing that brings balance to the strong, sunbaked California Zinfandel grapes.

2012 Four Vines Naked Unoaked Chardonnay
Santa Barbara County
100% Chardonnay
$11, 13.9% abv.

Big ripe peach flavors, firm acidity, big mouthfeel. Another affordable unoaked Chardonnay that I would recommend for a nice weekend lunch here in this mild spring we're having.

2011 Four Vines Truant Old Vine Zinfandel
California
90% Zinfandel, 7% Barbera, 3% Other Red Grapes
$11, 14.4% abv.

Deep black cherry and blueberry. Medium tannins and a tart acidity with a long finish. The notes mention that some of the fruit was sourced from Lodi, which means that I may have walked through the gnarled old vines that contributed to this particular bottling.

Note: These wines were provided as samples for review.