Big Six Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel

100% Zinfandel

California

2015

Producer Notes

Bourbon barrel aged for three months, which adds flavors of vanilla, caramel and oak to the raspberry and spice flavors of Zinfandel. A great accompaniment to all types of barbeque.

Shelf Talker

A “Shelf Talker” is an advertising instrument used to provide additional information about a product at the point of selection.  You’ve seen them in the grocery store.  They are often in the form of a sign or a “bib tag” that hangs on the shelf next to the price label.  They come in several sizes.  Here’s the one for the Big Six Zinfandel:

WineChump Notes

Big Six isn’t a formal winery; or if it is, it’s not listed as a “winery” in California.  King City, California is home to several really good wineries, such as Constellation or crush facilities like The Monterey Wine Company.  So, does it really matter?  It’s not new.  This is a trend in the wine industry that was started years ago, probably in France with the négociant, a wine merchant who brings together grapes, wine must (juice before it’s fermented), or bulk wine (fermented, but not blended, oaked, or otherwise messed with) from various sources and produces wine under their own name.  Fred Franzia (Bronco Wine Company), for example, makes Charles Shaw — the Trader Joe’s private label wine that used to be referred to as “Two Buck Chuck.”  Who knew?  Who cares?  Wine snobs, but not us WineChumps!

While I’m bothered by the fact that this isn’t a bona fide winery with their own website and all the stuff we WineChumps like to read about their wines, I’m absolutely not bothered by the nose, taste, and finish from this wine.  While others, like the venerable Cooper and Thief Red Wine Blend, kick the proverbial WineChump’s ass, this wine is smooth and reminiscent of some of the better wines I sampled in Temecula.

Best Price: $12.99
Total Wine (and Spirits where they can sell them).