Saw this posted on FB, experienced simultaneous revulsion and incredulity. Please tell me this is not the next “thing” in wine?
One of my friends kept trying to get me to drink a Spanish wine that was aged in Pappy barrels.
I had no interest.
Admittedly, never tried it, but this just sounds gross.
Mr Mondavi must be doing his best vintage Vince Carter impression with the 360s he’s doing in his tomb.
http://robertmondaviprivateselection.com/bourbon-barrel-aged-cabernet-sauvignon.php
Oh God, it just gets worse on so many levels. Available at Target, BTW!
It says aged in new and used Bourbon barrels, it doesn’t say how they were used. The disgusting implication they were used for Bourbon doesn’t seem likely, and is obviously not the case for the new barrels. So, my guess is they’re just marketing going old-school and using the cheapest barrels available. Before Paul Draper, all American oak was kiln dried. The same exact barrels made for whiskey, famous for the dill character they impart. Obviously cheaper than 2-3 air drying. Fred Swan coined the term dilleterious.
Has Mondavi gone Kardashian?
Unless the wine tastes like someone chewing gum while having a fake rear-end exploration, I doubt it.
That wine is owned by constellation now no? So it’s not even Mondavi any more.
Yeah, I guess it has gone Khardashian. A brand with no product.
So snarky as to the global comments; they have a product, the 2012 Mondavi To Kalon Reserve, and it’s excellent.
![[dance-clap.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/835ce082e2fa9c96c4b7f96406bf6e9a0db882ff.gif "[dance-clap.gif]"){kind=small}
Jacob’s Creek from Australia and a CO winery are two other producers using Bourbon barrels for ageing. Yes, bourbon was in the barrels and the results aren’t as repulsive as you might think.
Wine Economist post on Double Barrel wines…
Joe Swan was well-known to be quite the pinch-penny. When he made his first Chard ('73??), he went out and bought
some used whiskey barrels (don’t know where…this was afore HomeDepot), broke them down, shaved out the insides
by hand, reassembled them, and barreled down his new Chard in them. Trouble is, ole Joe didn’t shave away enough
wood & the wine picked up a distinct bourbon taint. Joe hated the stuff but sold it anyway. I thought it tasted very
interesting, in a strange sort of way, and it aged amazingly well.
Oh…and did I mention I followed JoeSwan from the very start?? ![[snort.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/b/bdc3944606213c4dca6c1169cf0a166c8bc4f8c9.gif "snort.gif"){kind=small}
The Harbor Mission del Sol was also aged in used whiskey barrels. And what goes around, comes around. They are
now aging some whiskey in the old Harbor Mission del Sol barrels.
Oh…and did I mention…??
Tom
Really does sound repulsive, actually, especially for someone like me that wants almost no noticeable presence of oak in my wine. It’s adding non-wine favors to a wine, what could be worse?
Now that said, I have to admit enjoying my single malts finished in Sherry barrels. Go figure. I like big butts and I cannot lie . . . .
A big butt. Just for you, Alfie:
I can’t wait for Mondavi to release their new “Devil’s Share” wine.
Lacrima Diablo?
Constellation bought Mondavi in 2004. From inside info I’ve had they were pretty hands off for a long time, but anyone familiar with bih biz should know that’s only as good as the bottom line and the shareholder value. Say what you will about their everyday wines (Woodbridge is a huge seller in the lower price range) they still make some good juice. This new one is certainly a head-shaker though. Gotta wonder what they’re thinking… beyond the obvious.
Saw this on a FB page for beer enthusiasts. Of course, spirit barrels are often used for beer aging.
The poster commented that he isn’t much of a wine guy, but found this “really smooth.” Urg.
So wait . . .it’s cool for beer but not for wine?!?
Yep, just stirring things up, but in some ways, this is the wine industry trying to ‘counter’ the growth of the craft beer industry, no?
Just something to think about . . .
It’s definitely not going to be for everyone, but neither is an imperial IPA… nor Coors Light. The CO one I had was surprisingly well done. Tiny bit of peaty smokiness but otherwise a half decent merlot.
Yup, Kyle…probably the highest calling for a Merlot…ageing in old whiskey barrels!!!
Tom
Like aluminum cans, Dixie cups, baseball hats that have straws and hold cans, beer bongs, 12 ounce bottles, universal carbonation, using beer for that ping pong game, batter for fish and chips, etc. 
My lovely assistant, with whom I have worked for years, gives me gifts for Christmas. Every year I tell her not to, and every year she does anyway, because she’s a kind soul. Because she sees the oceans of wine coming in to my office, she knows my love of the stuff, and this year she decided to buy me a special wine (along with another little something else).
Why do people do this? If I know that you are obsessed with something about which I know absolutely nothing, the last thing I am going to do is venture into your field of expertise blind on the outside chance I will find something you don’t have but want. Get something you know something about; maybe it will excite an interest that doesn’t currently exist.
Anyway, it was a lovely gesture and shows how thoughtful she is. And of course there is no way I am going to drink it and I don’t think it would even be safe to use it for cooking. Why in the world would Mondavi makes such an abomination? This is like the apple flavored whiskey Crown Royal is making – a shame.
Anyone if anyone wants a bottle, it is right here waiting for you.