July 26, 2022

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Wine Pioneer 1000 Stories Introduces Distinctive American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

1000 Stories, the winery that boldly pioneered bourbon barrel-aged wines, is writing a new chapter debuting wines aged in virgin American oak starting with American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This comes at a time when Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are driving growth in the Ultra Premium wine category—growing 3.4% and 2.1% year on year respectively.¹

1000 Stories has also appointed celebrated winemaker Sebastian Donoso to lead its winemaking operations, ushering in a new era for the brand. This marks the passing of the torch from 1000 Stories founding winemaker Bob Blue who retired in June. Blue is known for breaking the winemaking status quo when he began aging Zinfandel in bourbon barrels to create 1000 Stories in 2014.

“1000 Stories has always been about deliberately matching variety to oak – what’s possible when you explore that connection as a conscious element of flavor, rather than as a characteristic to de-emphasize, like in more traditional winemaking,” said Donoso. “Making these wines pushes me to be more experimental and bolder in my craft.”

Donoso works with coopers who source the American oak from eastern Minnesota and season barrels outdoors for 24 months. The barrels are then toasted to a specific toast level intended to bring out desired aroma and flavor characteristics, while also respecting the fruit. After Donoso selects premium lots from California vineyards and vinifies the grapes, the final blends are then aged in the American oak barrels, which adds a depth of flavor and creaminess to the wine’s mouth feel, alongside notes of vanilla, coconut oil, allspice, dried herbs and earth. The end result distinguishes these wines from their counterparts that are more often aged in French oak, creating a distinctively new drinking experience.

“We’re thrilled to share our unique approach to these beloved wine varietals with consumers,” said Tiffany Tran, senior brand manager for 1000 Stories. “At 1000 Stories we have always pushed winemaking boundaries and continue to do so with our new American Barrel-Aged wines. We’re offering an unexpected take on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and a special wine drinking experience.”

Born from a profound respect for the natural world and an innate curiosity about what lies beyond our own four walls, 1000 Stories wines are a celebration of the world around us and an homage to the importance of our country’s natural abundance. The newly launched American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay represent the winery’s forward thinking commitment to innovation and provide a glimpse into the future of the brand.

To kick start that future, the debut of the 1000 Stories American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay will usher in a new look that will debut across the entire portfolio. This new design is inspired by vintage spirits bottles and proudly continues to feature the brand’s emblematic bison icon—a nod to the American symbol that’s a cultural representation of wildness and freedom in the natural world.

The 750ml Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, priced at $19.99, will be available in August and October respectively, and the entire 1000 Stories collection in new packaging will begin shipping to retailers nationwide in October. Wine enthusiasts can sample the new American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and other wines from 1000 Stories at the Outside Lands music festival running August 5-7, 2022 in San Francisco. Learn more about the collection and 1000 Stories at http://www.1000storieswines.com

About 1000 Stories 

Expertly crafted by Master Winemaker Sebastian Donoso, 1000 Stories brings an expressive and bold take to wines. Starting with bourbon barrels and expanding to American oak, the nuance and character of each wine is brought to life through our barrel aging process. Named an IMPACT “Hot Prospect” brand three years in a row for its trailblazing portfolio, 1000 Stories consistently garners point scores of 90 or above from celebrated publications. The collection includes the new American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay along with the Bourbon Barrel-Aged Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend. Each bottle conveys our curiosity about the world around us and ongoing commitment to sparking that curiosity in all of us. To learn more, visit www.1000storieswines.com

¹“Source: IRI L52 weeks ending 7-22-2022 Ultra Premium $15–$19.99 Total US – MULO + C”

July 13, 2022

Bonterra Organic Estates Recognized as a 2022 B Corp “Best for the World” for Exceptional Impact on the Environment

Bonterra Organic Estates, a Certified B Corporation and leader in responsible business practices, has been named a 2022 Best for the World™ B Corp™ in recognition of its exceptionally positive impact on the environment. This recognition celebrates Bonterra Organic Estates’ longtime regenerative business operations and puts the company in the top five percent of similarly sized global B Corps for positive environmental impact.

The Best for the World recognition is administered by B Lab, the global nonprofit network that certifies and mobilizes B Corps, which are businesses that meet high standards of positive social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. B Lab annually grants the Best for the World distinction to Certified B Corps whose verified B Impact Scores in the five impact areas evaluated in the B Impact Assessment — community, customers, environment, governance, and workers — rank in the top five percent of all B Corps in their size group.

After being recognized as a Best for the World “Changemaker” in 2018 and 2019 for making the most positive improvements to their overall impact, Bonterra Organic Estates, then known as Fetzer Vineyards, achieved an “Outstanding” New B Corp Score of 130 during its recertification in 2021, a notable 37% increase from its previous score. Now, the company adds the 2022 “Best for the World” in the Environment impact area designation to its accomplishments.

“Bonterra Organic Estates has championed regenerative organic agriculture and responsible business practices since our founding, and we are honored to be in this position of leadership within the global B Corp community,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Bonterra Organic Estates. “Looking ahead, we plan to build on this momentum and will continue to develop forward-thinking initiatives, both within the environment impact area and beyond.”

In 2020, the winery declared a climate emergency and committed to achieving climate-positive operations by 2030. The winery is now more than halfway to its goal thanks to significant emissions reductions efforts and pioneering Climate Neutral Certification, which it achieved for its two largest brands, Bonterra and Fetzer, in 2021.

Additionally, Bonterra Organic Estates is presently the largest winery in the world to achieve Regenerative Organic Certification™ (ROC™), having secured Silver-level certification for all of its estate vineyards and winery in 2021. Prioritizing soil health, biodiversity, and the well-being of animals, workers, and the climate itself, this approach aims to repair a damaged planet and create a better future for all.

“With regenerative organic agriculture, farmers have the opportunity to be global superheroes. These practices make measurable, positive differences in the health and resilience of our environment and communities,” said Joseph Brinkley, director of regenerative farming for Bonterra Organic Estates. “The Best for the World designation shines a spotlight on these efforts, and will help us continue to share best practices with others.”

In addition to regenerative organic agricultural practices, Bonterra Organic Estates’ comprehensive environmental management system addresses waste generation, energy usage, water usage, and carbon emissions. In 2014, it became the first winery to achieve platinum certification through TRUE Zero Waste. More than three-quarters of all the company’s product input materials come from recycled, reused, or certified sustainably produced sources, and byproducts of wine production are composted. Smart water meters throughout the winery’s Hopland, California campus allow for swift identification and resolution of leaks and water waste incidents in real time. The Hopland campus also relies 100% on renewable energy sources.

Long an industry leader in modeling planet-friendly business practices, Bonterra Organic Estates continues to advocate for climate-smart policies at the state and national levels. In 2015, the company became the first recipient of the California Green Medal Leader award, which recognized the winery’s longstanding sustainability commitments and leadership in the California wine industry. In 2017, Fetzer Vineyards was the only winery in the world to be commended at COP23 by the United Nations Climate Change secretariat, which recognized the winery’s work toward a climate positive future with a Lighthouse “Momentum for Change” Climate Solutions Award.