1000 Stories Gold Rush Red 2018

Winemaker Bob Blue drew on a base of heritage Mendocino County (33%) and Paso Robles (33%) vineyards for this bold and texturally layered Zinfandel. Dry-farmed, head-trained Zinfandel vines from Mendocino imbue depth, classic structure and red fruit notes to the blend, while premium coastal grapes from the Paso Robles AVA lend polished tannins, depth of structure and enticing aromas of Asian spices and cherry licorice. Individual lots for this intriguing wine began the aging 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, Bob curated an extraordinary selection of seven to nine-year-old bourbon barrels showing signature sweet vanilla notes from some of America’s most celebrated distilleries. Batch 48 was matured in these used barrels, over time developing the hallmark polished structure and depth the wine is known for. A touch of Petite Sirah (14%) elevates tannic structure and color in this batch, while imbuing the wine with a soulful minerality. On the palate, flavors of vanilla and sage spice feature alongside layered notes of red and black fruit, and old-fashioned licorice. As to be expected, 1000 Stories closes on a memorable note with a lingering finish. 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.”