1000 Stories Zinfandel Bourbon Barrel

Description

”OUR STORY Years ago, when I was just starting out as a winemaker, it was almost unheard of to get French oak wine barrels and American oak barrels were for whisky, not wine. But we still needed barrels to age our wine, so we purchased new and used bourbon barrels. Today, American and French oak wine barrels are commonplace, so the inspiration for 1,000 Stories is a nod to the way things were.” – Bob Blue, WinemakerTHE WINE In another spectacular California vintage, Winemaker Bob Blue drew on a base of dry-farmed, head-trained Zinfandel vines from Mendocino County to craft this nuanced red. These choice vineyards lend the wine tremendous depth, classic structure and red fruit notes balanced by subtle spice. Attractive flavors of red licorice and brown spice usher into the blend courtesy of Paso Robles vineyards, while a touch of soulful Lake County Petite Sirah completes the wine, contributing depth of color and profound suggestions of black pepper 19%. Hedonistic, juicy Zinfandel from Lodi 78% brings round tannins and opulent notes of dark fruit to the 2016 1000 Stories Zinfandel.Individual lots for this intriguing wine began the ageing process in traditional American and French oak barrels before being introduced to new bourbon barrels. The characteristic char from these sought-after vessels imparted attractive smoky notes to the nose and palate, where the lasting impression is of richly flavored vanilla, dried herbs and a hint of caramel. As a final winemaking step, the wine was matured in used bourbon barrelssome up to 13 years oldchosen from Americas most celebrated distilleries. Over time, barrel-ageing polished the wine and lent further depth and nuance to its bold character.A powerful new batch of old barrels ranging from 8-12 years were incorporated into the mix resulting in 24% Old Bourbon and 3% New Bourbon in this batch. This wine is a bit smoky but has more weight and is a smoother wine on the palette. As one might expect, 1000 Stories Zinfandel closes on a memorable note, concluding with a lingering finish.” – 1000 Stories