1000 Stories Red Blends
Bourbon barrel finished California reds, poured in Commack since the start.
The story behind 1000 Stories
1000 Stories started in 2013 with winemaker Bob Blue and a simple bet: take California Zinfandel and finish a portion of it in charred American oak bourbon barrels. The first commercial bourbon barrel aged Zinfandel, Batch #1, hit shelves at the end of 2014 and Wine Enthusiast gave it 90 points. The barrels are once used distillery stock that held bourbon for 4 to 10 years.
The label is made in California from Lodi, Mendocino County and San Luis Obispo County fruit, under Bonterra Organic Estates. Sebastian Donoso now leads the winemaking. We have carried 1000 Stories since those early batches and watched the category it created fill up with imitators.
Explore the 1000 Stories range
Three bottles we stock from 1000 Stories, each finished in those repurposed bourbon barrels. Zinfandel leads, the red blend follows, and Chardonnay shows what the char does to white fruit.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 Stories Zinfandel 750mL | Bourbon barrel aged Zinfandel | About 29 to 31.6 proof (14.5 to 15.8% ABV) | Vanilla bean, caramel, dried herbs, old vine fruit |
| 1000 Stories Gold Rush Red 750mL | Bourbon barrel aged red blend | About 29 to 30 proof (14.5 to 15% ABV) | Teroldego, Zinfandel, Cabernet, toffee and smoke |
| 1000 Stories Chardonnay 750mL | Bourbon barrel aged Chardonnay | California Chardonnay, moderate alcohol | Roasted marshmallow, baked apple, soft char |
| Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon | Cabernet Sauvignon | About 29.8 to 30.4 proof (14.9 to 15.2% ABV) | Dark cherry, cocoa, charred oak, dried sage |
| Prospectors' Proof Cabernet Sauvignon | High alcohol Cabernet Sauvignon | 33 proof (16.5% ABV) | Concentrated blackberry, bourbon spice, long finish |
Which 1000 Stories is right for you?
The 1000 Stories shelf sits where everyday California red should: $16.99 for the Gold Rush Red and the Chardonnay, $17.99 for the Zinfandel. That is a fair price for wine that spent months in once used bourbon barrels, and it undercuts most of the barrel finished competition. Buy 1000 Stories online or walk in and pull it off the shelf yourself. At these numbers you can keep a bottle open for barbecue night and not think twice.
Smoke and vanilla meet ribs and charred steak without a fight.
Teroldego and Zinfandel blend, soft tannin, easy second glass.
Bourbon barrel char on white fruit, a rare and useful trick.
1000 Stories cocktails and pairings
Serve these at 60 to 65 degrees and give them 20 to 30 minutes of air so the bourbon aromatics settle into the fruit.