The 2011 Four Vines “Biker” Zinfandel (about $20) is a jazzed-up zin from California’s Paso Robles district that incorporates splashes of grenache, tannat, mourvedre, syrah and petite sirah to good effect.
The nose is robust and musky, with cherries, prunes, blackberries and clove accented by aromatic cedar wood. The cedar wood turns to smoke on the tongue and along with black pepper lights a fire under the aforementioned fruits. This red wine is intense throughout, but that is especially true of the long, complex, spicy finish capped by a ripe cherry finale. Overall, this zin is mouth-filling and well structured. It’s a beauty.
When pairing, capitalize on the cedar smoke by going for Memphis-style smoked pork ribs or any robustly flavored meat or fowl dish.
— Colette and John Bancroft
Tampa Bay Times