So, we were lucky enough to be chosen to try the 2020 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chardonnay. Now, I am not a big white wine drinker so I enlisted the aid of my wife who loves white wines and has more experience with chardonnay.
These are her words as transcribed by a popular word processing application as she tasted (punctuation added by me for improved legibility):
OK, so initial presentation on the nose was a hint of caramel and vanilla. The first tasting revealed fruit: lychee, a hint of passion fruit, and honeydew melon.
Later I felt the caramel likely due to the bourbon barrel in the background and while this suggested a little more sweetness and potentially cloying element, it seemed to be held in balance with the acidity. Interestingly this wine is complex in that it’s very changeable and adaptable.
I tried it with two different kinds of cheese and two different kinds of meat. With the prosciutto the the…what? Now you’re making me self-conscious.
Right, the wine became almost honey like. However, with the grand cru cheese, the sweetness seemed muted and the wine evened out and became soft and silky. With the prosciutto, the wine retained a lot of its caramel quality again held in balance by some acidity but not as much citrus in the finish as I’ve come to associate with many French chards.
All in all, I felt that this wine, although it leaned towards some of the tendencies in California chardonnays that I find less desirable, it…it held those in balance with the tropical fruit. I’d be curious to taste it with Chinese or Asian food.
We guessed $15/bottle. Seeing the price on this offer, were we chardonnay people, we would be in for a case.
However, she leans toward pinot grigio. And me…well, I am a lover of all things red wine so we’ll pass on this one. (Personally, I could drink this on a summer day on our deck but I digress…)
Bourbon barrel aged wines are generally an acquired taste. Not all wine lovers love it, not all bourbon people are a fan. I’ve tried 1000 stories bourbon barrel aged reds before and enjoyed them. I was a little unsure how it would come out with a chardonnay.
In this case, the bourbon barrel aging isn’t a huge flavor profile, but it enhances the creamy caramel of the chardonnay. It’s a fun daily drinker and at the price point a good buy if you’re looking for something like that.
I tried this at several temps over several days. First was straight out of the wine fridge at 50 degrees. The flavors were lovely and round, not sharp, and very drinkable. My boyfriend, a white wine hater usually, said “I wouldn’t be sad if this was the only thing to drink, and I’ll finish this glass.” (Reader, he had 2) We ate smoked chicken wings with this wine and found it to be a lovely complement to our dinner.
Later, I poured a glass and let it come to room temp (68 at my place). I enjoyed it more and found slightly more flavorful.
Finally, I took it to my best friend’s house. We tried it cold out of the regular fridge (40 degrees or so). It was a little sharper and the caramel wasn’t as prevalent, but we all enjoyed it this way as well. She said depending on the price, she’d buy it. (Adora, when you read this, the price is great.)
TL; DR:
Strongest flavor at room temp. A light and caramelly chardonnay at a great price.
Out of the bottle, the color is a nice light straw.
@danandlisa the couple Bourbon barrel aged (red) wines I’ve had were, um, less than enjoyable. I suppose it’s possible it works better with a white but I’m not planning to find out.
This is a decent wine to drink in the pool or as a high ABV Chard to get, well, drunk. I have had it from Winco, where it is usually available for about $10. It is available from Vivino for $11 when you buy a case of 12. It is ok at this price, and it should be used as you would a KJ Chardonnay and definitely not as a Bourgogne white or even a fine California Chardonnay.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chardonnay - $30 = 21.42%
@kitkat34@klezman
No, Mark_L offered to help out since I have been very busy lately. So if he sees that I haven’t done the posting in a reasonable amount of time, he does it. The Friday offers are especially tough for me to get to in a timely manner, so I appreciate his assistance!
Our rich Chardonnay brings distinct flavors of baked apple, lemon, wood spice, and vanilla that deepen alongside notes of butterscotch and crème brûlée. A bold take on a California classic, the 2020 vintage includes fruit from Monterey’s cool-climate Arroyo Seco and vineyards in Lodi and Colusa Counties. The addition of Viognier to this vintage complements the flavors imparted by the bourbon barrels, lending a touch of ripe apricot and subtle richness. Pair with fried chicken, sushi, and pasta carbonara.
America’s bourbon barrel-aged wine, 1000 Stories is finished in charred barrels that once housed fine Kentucky bourbon—America’s iconic spirit. Born from pushing boundaries, 1000 Stories wines are made in batches, much like craft spirits, so that no one is alike. Each hand-selected lot is an expression of originality—a boldly spirited pursuit of doing things differently
Batch-crafted and bourbon barrel-aged, 1000 Stories wines meld the best of Kentucky’s bourbon culture with California’s renowned winemaking heritage. Working with Kentucky distillers, winemaker Bob Blue selects bourbon barrels whose unique combination of age and charred finish adds to the wine’s complexity with hints of smoke, dried herbs, and vanilla. Building on a strong foundation of quality fruit from notable vineyards in California, Bob fermented a portion of this Chardonnay in barrel—20% in French and American oak and 15% in bourbon barrels—before these lots underwent malolactic fermentation for added depth and a creamy mouthfeel. The balance of the wine was fermented in stainless steel to capture fresh apple and citrus character. Bob finished a portion of the wine in charred bourbon barrels expressly suited for the 2020 vintage before the final blend was assembled.
At 1000 Stories, we revere the process and then we challenge it.
Aging 1000 Stories wines in used American bourbon barrels gives the resulting wine a depth of flavor and complexity that has become the bedrock of 1000 Stories. Resting the wine in these barrels allows the bourbon that remains inside the wood staves to give 1000 Stories the classic characteristics of America’s spirit. It’s a distinct flavor that’s one-of-a-kind.
Taking cues from craft spirits, Bob makes each 1000 Stories offering in batches, coaxing a unique imprint of flavors from a distinct combination of grapes and barrels to create singular
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
It’s not really a bourbon barrel if it never had bourbon in it. Kind of misleading to say it’s bourbon barrel-aged when no bourbon is involved. They’re just charred barrels.
Disregard the previous post. It sounds like this did involve actual bourbon barrels. I was reading about the 2021 chardonnay on their website, and it mentioned choosing barrels made from oak in Minnesota, with no mention of those barrels then being used to age bourbon. This 2020 sounds like it actually spent time in used bourbon barrels. If so, I’d be interested to know whose bourbon barrels were used. The 2021 is “American barrel-aged,” so I just need to read more carefully.
@warpedrotors yep, it appears the 2021 is not bourbon barrel aged - it might be that these barrels are become more and more difficult to source; and good luck finding out what bourbon company used the barrels before . . .
@tercerowines I’m thinking they might’ve just tried to go a different direction with the 2021. I did find a general article about their wines that mentioned they use barrels from Independent Stave Company, and their used bourbon barrels are from distilleries “such as Heaven Hill and Four Roses.”
Where is the popcorn eating emoji?
@tercerowines invite more people from berserkers…
@klezman @tercerowines
@tercerowines would this pair with popcorn?
@DanOR @tercerowines The “wine guy” at my local Trader Joe’s used to recommend buttered popcorn as the accompaniment for Lambrusco.
So, we were lucky enough to be chosen to try the 2020 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chardonnay. Now, I am not a big white wine drinker so I enlisted the aid of my wife who loves white wines and has more experience with chardonnay.
These are her words as transcribed by a popular word processing application as she tasted (punctuation added by me for improved legibility):
OK, so initial presentation on the nose was a hint of caramel and vanilla. The first tasting revealed fruit: lychee, a hint of passion fruit, and honeydew melon.
Later I felt the caramel likely due to the bourbon barrel in the background and while this suggested a little more sweetness and potentially cloying element, it seemed to be held in balance with the acidity. Interestingly this wine is complex in that it’s very changeable and adaptable.
I tried it with two different kinds of cheese and two different kinds of meat. With the prosciutto the the…what? Now you’re making me self-conscious.
Right, the wine became almost honey like. However, with the grand cru cheese, the sweetness seemed muted and the wine evened out and became soft and silky. With the prosciutto, the wine retained a lot of its caramel quality again held in balance by some acidity but not as much citrus in the finish as I’ve come to associate with many French chards.
All in all, I felt that this wine, although it leaned towards some of the tendencies in California chardonnays that I find less desirable, it…it held those in balance with the tropical fruit. I’d be curious to taste it with Chinese or Asian food.
We guessed $15/bottle. Seeing the price on this offer, were we chardonnay people, we would be in for a case.
However, she leans toward pinot grigio. And me…well, I am a lover of all things red wine so we’ll pass on this one. (Personally, I could drink this on a summer day on our deck but I digress…)
Thanks again, Alice, for the opportunity to Rat.
Bourbon barrel aged wines are generally an acquired taste. Not all wine lovers love it, not all bourbon people are a fan. I’ve tried 1000 stories bourbon barrel aged reds before and enjoyed them. I was a little unsure how it would come out with a chardonnay.
In this case, the bourbon barrel aging isn’t a huge flavor profile, but it enhances the creamy caramel of the chardonnay. It’s a fun daily drinker and at the price point a good buy if you’re looking for something like that.
I tried this at several temps over several days. First was straight out of the wine fridge at 50 degrees. The flavors were lovely and round, not sharp, and very drinkable. My boyfriend, a white wine hater usually, said “I wouldn’t be sad if this was the only thing to drink, and I’ll finish this glass.” (Reader, he had 2) We ate smoked chicken wings with this wine and found it to be a lovely complement to our dinner.
Later, I poured a glass and let it come to room temp (68 at my place). I enjoyed it more and found slightly more flavorful.
Finally, I took it to my best friend’s house. We tried it cold out of the regular fridge (40 degrees or so). It was a little sharper and the caramel wasn’t as prevalent, but we all enjoyed it this way as well. She said depending on the price, she’d buy it. (Adora, when you read this, the price is great.)
TL; DR:
Strongest flavor at room temp. A light and caramelly chardonnay at a great price.
Out of the bottle, the color is a nice light straw.
Bourbon barrel aged Chardonnay? Yikes
@klezman Exactly. Why?
@danandlisa the couple Bourbon barrel aged (red) wines I’ve had were, um, less than enjoyable. I suppose it’s possible it works better with a white but I’m not planning to find out.
@danandlisa @klezman Not to give in to hyperbole, but sounds disgusting…
@danandlisa @kaolis @klezman
My liver deserves better!
@klezman A waste of calories
This is a decent wine to drink in the pool or as a high ABV Chard to get, well, drunk. I have had it from Winco, where it is usually available for about $10. It is available from Vivino for $11 when you buy a case of 12. It is ok at this price, and it should be used as you would a KJ Chardonnay and definitely not as a Bourgogne white or even a fine California Chardonnay.
Just a side note - I can see this being very popular with those who want a creamy, vanilla and butterscotch laden chardonnay . . .
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chardonnay - $30 = 21.42%
@Mark_L is @chipgreen on vacation?
@klezman @Mark_L
I wish…
@chipgreen have you given up your CM job?!
@chipgreen @klezman inquiring minds want to know!
@kitkat34 @klezman
No, Mark_L offered to help out since I have been very busy lately. So if he sees that I haven’t done the posting in a reasonable amount of time, he does it. The Friday offers are especially tough for me to get to in a timely manner, so I appreciate his assistance!
2020 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chardonnay
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$205.08/Case for 12x 2020 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chardonnay at 1000 Stories Vineyard
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Friday, Mar 10 - Monday, Mar 13
2020 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chardonnay
6 bottles for $69.99 $11.67/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $109.99 $9.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
It’s not really a bourbon barrel if it never had bourbon in it. Kind of misleading to say it’s bourbon barrel-aged when no bourbon is involved. They’re just charred barrels.
@warpedrotors
@warpedrotors
Disregard the previous post. It sounds like this did involve actual bourbon barrels. I was reading about the 2021 chardonnay on their website, and it mentioned choosing barrels made from oak in Minnesota, with no mention of those barrels then being used to age bourbon. This 2020 sounds like it actually spent time in used bourbon barrels. If so, I’d be interested to know whose bourbon barrels were used. The 2021 is “American barrel-aged,” so I just need to read more carefully.
@warpedrotors yep, it appears the 2021 is not bourbon barrel aged - it might be that these barrels are become more and more difficult to source; and good luck finding out what bourbon company used the barrels before . . .
@tercerowines I’m thinking they might’ve just tried to go a different direction with the 2021. I did find a general article about their wines that mentioned they use barrels from Independent Stave Company, and their used bourbon barrels are from distilleries “such as Heaven Hill and Four Roses.”
None of these “bourbon barrel-aged” wines are ever strong and/or bourbony enough for me.
So I usually just dump a shot of bourbon into a glass of wine, and that seems to do the job for me.
@ShotgunX 🫣