It’s Father’s Day on Sunday, and in thinking about a wine worthy of the celebration, an obvious choice occurred to me: 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel Aged Zinfandel. First, there’s the name. 1000 Stories. Think about all the stories you have about your dad, or stories you want to share with the dads in your life, or stories you craft whenever you’re together. There’s a great story behind this wine, too. Once upon a time in California, barrels for aging wine were hard to come by, but bourbon barrels were plentiful. Winemakers used them, but they tried to minimize the bourbon’s notes of heavy vanilla and caramel. Ten years ago, Bob Blue, 1000 Stories’ winemaker, decided that he would embrace these flavor notes and the complexity they brought to a wine. His bourbon barrel-aged Zinfandel was the first such wine on the market, releasing in 2014. It was an instant hit. Today you’ll find bourbon barrel-aged wines from a slew of wineries. For Father’s Day, go with the original. The 1000 Stories bourbon barrel-aged Zinfandel is really 1000 stories in a glass, and it shares them in every sip. There’s the ripe fruit of the Zinfandel, a grape noted for its dark cherry and blackberry notes with a hint of spice, plus the influence of the bourbon barrel and its rich vanilla, caramel, and toasted marshmallow notes. It’s a decadent and deep wine to sip and savor on its own, and also pairs well with barbeque, chops, prime rib, campfires and, if dad enjoys them, a good cigar. Happy Father’s Day.
