By combining years of wine-making knowledge and expertise with innovative techniques inspired by whiskey-making, Modesto, Calif.-based Apothic Wines is appealing to wine and whiskey fans alike with its new, small-batch, limited-release red blend: Apothic Inferno.
Aged in charred, white oak whiskey barrels for 60 days, Apothic Inferno blends the red and dark fruit flavors of its wine with layers of maple and spice, giving way to a long, clean finish, the company says.
“The result is a wine with rich flavor and distinctive attitude,” Apothic Winemaker Debbie Juergenson said in a statement. “It may not have whiskey in it, but it’s wine with a whiskey soul.”
Crafted in California, each batch of Apothic Inferno undergoes a time-intensive, barrel-aging process. The barrels — cut, shaped, and bound by steel before being charred with flames — were first used to age whiskey for years prior to becoming the home of Apothic's new red blend, according to the company.
"Those who have come to love Apothic know that we're always looking to defy convention with unique blends and bold flavors," said Christine Jagher, marketing director for Apothic Wines, in a statement. "Apothic Inferno brings a rebellious attitude to the wine category — even the label's dark colors and intertwined graphics elicit a fiery style, the perfect addition to our portfolio."
Apothic Inferno is available nationwide on shelves wherever wine is sold for a limited time with a suggested retail price of $16.99. The wine has an alcohol by volume of 15.9 percent and is offered in 750-ml bottles.