1000 Stories
The bottle: 1000 Stories wine, $18.99
The back story: What do you get when you cross a bottle of wine with a bottle of bourbon? No, it’s not a silly riddle. It’s actually the thinking behind 1000 Stories, a brand launched by California giant Fetzer Vineyards in 2014. These are wines — specifically, Zinfandel-based wines, the signature California varietal — that are aged in new and previously used bourbon barrels rather than in new French oak barrels, which are often considered the standard in the world of fine vino.
Obviously, the type of barrel can affect the flavor. Winemaker Bob Blue, who’s behind 1000 Stories, says the practice of using bourbon barrels goes as far back as the ‘80s, but more for practical reasons. In that era, it was too costly for some American wine companies to use French oak.
Today, the choice of bourbon barrels is just that — a choice. The practice speaks to what is happening in the spirits and craft beer worlds, where all types of barrels are being used for aging to provide different flavor notes. In turn, that “re-opened the door,” for wine, says Blue.
And a potentially lucrative door it is: The brand reports that sales of 1000 Stories increased by 70% in 2017.
What we think about it: To begin with, we’re fans of Zinfandel, a varietal that always has the right balance of fruit and spice. The 1000 Stories version is a bit on the fruit-forward side — “intense red fruits are on the nose,” as the brand says of the current main release (the brand also does a number of special editions). Can you detect the bourbon? It’s not as obvious as you might expect, though perhaps we finally got a note of charred wood that’s a hallmark of America’s favorite whiskey. Either way, this is a decent Zinfandel for the price.
How to enjoy it: Because of their heavily fruity aspect, these wines are fine to sip on their own. But if you’re looking for a pairing, the brand suggests having these with barbecue — as in burgers, steaks and ribs.