Region: California

Vintage: 2019

Composition: Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Zinfandel

History: It all started in the summer of 2012 while preparing for a wine barrel auction in Napa, CA. The auction of 12 barrels was scheduled, but only nine made it to the site. Three barrels were lost in the warehouse and mysteriously disappeared. Nearly a year and a half later, those lost barrels were found in a remote, dark corner. Fearing the worst, one of them was opened where it was discovered that after remaining in barrels for almost 18 months, the wine had darkened and thickened. Hoping the wine would go bad, she poured herself a glass and tasted the juice. To everyone’s surprise, the added fermentation and aging had brought out the fruity flavors of blackberry and plum and the accentuated aromas of licorice and mocha. It also added a rich, decadent, “inked” finish. It was declared “delicious and feels like drinking ‘Black Ink!'” Hence Black Ink was born. It arose out of chaos and mystery, just as the label and name reflect. The mix has changed since then, but the essence of the brand hasn’t.

Tasting Notes:

Cherry, fig and vanilla aromas blend with the flavor of black plum and licorice, followed by a rich ink finish.