Exitus Bourbon Barrel Red Blend - Big and Bold • Reverse Wine Snob®

Overflowing with flavor, the bourbon barrel aged Exitus Red.

A blend of Zinfandel, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Merlot from California. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and then aged for 3 months in Kentucky Bourbon barrels. It contains 5.5 g/L of residual sugar.

Sample submitted for review. The Exitus Bourbon Barrel Red Blend has an SRP of $18 and is available widely, including at Trader Joe’s, for as low as $15.

From the bottle:

Fueled by a desire to forge our own path, Exitus is an intentional departure from the ordinary. This wine has been matured using methods reserved for top shelf spirits.
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” – unknown
Smoky intensity and robust layers of dark fruit, plum, toasty oak and spice.
15.9% Alcohol

The 2016 Exitus Bourbon Barrel Red Blend begins with boatloads of really ripe, really dark fruit like plums, prunes and raisins along with plenty of spice. Vanilla, chocolate, tobacco, caramel, leather and more all make appearances as well. It’s a bit over the top really but there’s no doubt they were going for big and bold here and it works. It’s a bit sweet as well, but not nearly as sugary as some of the popular red blends out there. All those flavors from the nose also make savory appearances when tasting. There’s just a touch of heat on the medium-long, spicy, caramelly, chocolate and vanilla filled finish.

Bourbon barrel aging is becoming quite the popular thing but we’re quite agnostic about it. For us at the end of the day (or the end of the bottle) what really matters is how the wine tastes and on those merits this is a pretty nice red blend. It does pack a kick though at 15.9% alcohol, so imbibe responsibly.

See a listing of local retailers selling the Exitus Bourbon Barrel Red Blend here.