Batch #14
Bourbon Barrel-Aged
1000 Stories, Batch #14 was born from the rugged old Zinfandel vineyards of Mendocino (46%). The free standing vines at these vineyards bestow the grapes with potent red fruit aromas along with flavors of cranberry and raspberry. It was then balanced out with grapes from Dry Creek Valley (21%) that provide flavors of complex black fruits and distinct black pepper spice. The addition of fruit from Amador County and Shenandoah Valley (11%) contributed big ripe plum and white pepper flavors to the wine’s tapestry which was then completed with Zinfandels from Lodi (8%), Colusa (8%) and Contra Costa (3%) that added more red fruit and ripeness to the flavor profile.
The final step was to add some Petite Sirah and Syrah from Mendocino to deepen the color and enhance the spiciness of the batch. Each individual lot started the aging process in traditional American and French wine barrels. The next step was the introduction of the wine to bourbon barrels. This process is similar to aging in wine barrels, but with a flavor profile unique to the charred bourbon barrels – vanilla, dried herbs and a hint of caramel. The final step of the process was the most grand: the blend completed its barrel ageing in old bourbon barrels from famed distilleries such as Heaven Hill and Four Roses.