Tried this odd duck last night:
1. 1000 Stories Zin MendoCnty (Bourbon Barrel Aged; Small Batch; 15.2%; 1000StoriesWines.com) V&B by 1000 StoriesVnyds/Hopland 2013: Very dark color; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/ripe/Zin/bit earthy very slight alcoholic some dusty/OV some toasty/charred/oak very slight bourbob/vanilla/oak rather complex nose; very strong blackberry/Zin/spicy/boysenberry slight tomatoey/MendoCnty rather earthy/dusty/OV bit rough/rustic slight vanilla/charred/oak flavor w/ modest hard tannins; very long strong blackberry/spicy/Zin/ripe rather dusty/OV slight tomatoey/MendoCnty modest vanilla/smokey/charred/oak finish w/ some rough tannins; needs 3-5 yrs of age yet; one of the best MendoCnty Zins I've had in a long time; great price at $17.50 (KK)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Winemakers for this wine are BobBlue/Bonterra and CharlieGilmore/Fetzer..though you can't find that on their WebSite. The grapes come from vineyards such as the Grider, Buckholtz, Mattern, Poor, and Hooper; ranging in age from 9-45 yrs. The wine was made in new Bourbon barrels from Independent Stave Company, and then given a final aging in used Bourbon barrels, some as old as 13 yrs, from HeavenHill and FourRoses distilleries.
I was expecting a pretty strong smokey/burnt Bourbon character in this wine much like the Swan Chard '76. However the oak & Bourbon character were pretty low-key, it spoke loudly of strong MendoCnty Zin fruit. This is quite a tasty Zin that reminds me a lot of the early Milano Zins...back when Milano was making Zins every bit the equal of any in Calif. Reminds a little of the early McDowellVllyVnyds Zins, except a bit brawnier in character. I had pretty much given up on UkiahVlly Zin. This wine renews my hope for them.
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2. Interesting concept to use Bourbon barrels in making Zin. Not sure gives the wine a uniquely American signature, but at least the Zin fruit was not pounded into oblivion by the oak.
CharlieMyers at HarborWnry/Sacramento made his Mission Del Sol using old Bourbon barrels, in which it was aged quite awhile. It, too, did not have a strong Bourbon character. Interestingly, those old Bourbob barrels he used on his Mission del Sol are now being reused to age.....whiskey. What goes around/comes around, I guess.
Tom