No doubt you’ve seen a preponderance of wine aged in bourbon barrels of late, and if you’re like me you’ve been unimpressed to date. In all fairness, maybe it’s because bourbon barrels tend toward the dark end of the charred spectrum, which I agree with in bourbon, but in wine — not so much. Tequila is another story all together, and here the result is pretty interesting. You get the freshness of lemongrass and melon from the grape, and light toastiness, agave and salinity from the tequila barrel. If you are an appreciator of both things, give this a try — it brings what it says it will.
Beringer Bros., California (United States) Sauvignon Blanc 2017
By Rich Cook