Keep Warm During Halloween with Exitus Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine

During previous Halloween's, I would accompany the little boy with a coffee mug filled with either bourbon or red wine. Now that a chaperone is no longer wanted or needed, I distribute candy outside in order to chat with neighbors. Thus a warming beverage is still desired and this year I'm combining bourbon and red wine with the 2017 Exitus Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine ($20). This Zinfandel based blend (Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Merlot) rests three months in charred American oak barrels previously filled with Kentucky Bourbon. This aging provides additional layers of toasted oak, baking spices, and tobacco which compliments the dense fruit and chocolate core. The finish is smooth with easy tannins - but the subtle heat at 15.9% abv will keep you warm. Cheers and Happy Halloween.



Disclosure: We received samples from Exitus Wines in order to share our opinion about their products, but this isn’t a sponsored post.

Exitus 2016 Vintage Bourbon Barrel-Aged Red Blend

Bourbon barrel-aged beverages have slowly seeped into the wine industry and O’Neill Vintners & Distillers entered the field with the Exitus Wines 2016 Vintage Bourbon Barrel-Aged Red Blend ($17.99). This wine is a majority Zinfandel blend incorporating lesser amounts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Merlot -- then aged in mature bourbon barrels for three months. The combination of wine and spirits come naturally for this family-owned wine and spirits company as they sourced the bourbon barrels from Kentucky and the grapes from estate vineyards or 15,000 contracted acres throughout California. These grapes are fermented in stainless steel before the barrel aging which helps the wine retain the dense fruit as the barrels add leather, vanilla, and chocolate notes. A side affect of the barrels and perhaps the Zinfandel is a little heat on the nose. And the tail falls slightly flat - but overall a worthy wine. Cheers.