This vintage of Red4 from Vina Robles offers the signature voluptuous character of a Paso Robles red, with big, bold flavors layered across a fleshy palate, with supple tannins and a generous dose of wood spice. Though the winery likens it to other GSM (grenache, syrah, mourvedre) blends, this one gets a serious jolt of petite sirah (41 percent) that adds color, body and spicy aromatics. Combined with the red-fruited aromas of the grenache and the darker elements of the syrah and mourvedre, this is a meaty wine that won’t fail you with a thick, juicy steak or rich winter game stews.
Vina Robles, Paso Robles (California) 2013
By Robert Whitley