Wine Know How - Dark Horse Wine

A Sure Bet

By Heather Dolen

Dark Horse Wine is making bold moves, defying the odds, and winning with style.

By definition, a “Dark Horse” emerges to prominence, at first appearing unlikely to succeed, yet still managing to triumph, defying the odds, and winning with style.

The aptly named Dark Horse Wine meets this definition with grit and grace. Redefining the wine industry by using innovative techniques and demanding a high degree of quality, Dark Horse is hitting all the right strides.

“We celebrate the bold, relentless spirit of Dark Horses everywhere by creating unique wines that outperform their price point,” shares director of winemaking Beth Liston. “We apply premium techniques that are traditionally reserved for higher-priced wines, which enable us to produce the boldest, most balanced, high-quality wines.” With over a decade of harvests behind her, Liston understands the market from both a buyer’s and a winemaker's perspectives. “We feel strongly that Dark Horse, across its portfolio, makes the best value and best tasting domestic wines for under $10 available in the United States market today.”

There is a sea of choices in the world of wine today, in an array of styles and price points. As such, Liston understands pushing boundaries, unparalleled quality of the grapes, and wines that deliver the unexpected in a glass, are some of the characteristics that make Dark Horse stand out from other wines.

Speaking to quality, in the 80-plus years that the vineyard has been making wine, a strong relationship with the 400 growers allows Dark Horse the first pick of the grapes. In addition, Liston notes that she personally tastes each expression over 100 times before it is released.

Still, it is as much about the initial attraction to the bottle as it is about what’s inside. Dark Horse Wines have an intriguing label design featuring a horse head with markings on the forehead and nose. Impressively done with an optical illusion-type vibe, the markings are shaped like a wine glass. Subtle yet eye-catching and fun, it sets the tone for a consumer to notice the bottle, then notice the price point, and give the wine a try. Once the wine wows, it’s a winner.

Cabernet Sauvignon:

Roasted coffee beans rise from the glass with a touch of dried herb. Grapes selected from premier California vineyards.

Pinot Grigio: Nicely concentrated, crisp, vibrant, and fresh with notes of green apple, pear, and lemon. Awarded 2020 Top 100 Best Buys by Wine Enthusiast (second out of 100). Chardonnay: Crisp and refreshing with a rich mouthfeel and hints of tree fruit and lychee underscored by subtle notes of toasted oak.

Buttery Chardonnay:

Creamy and rich with layers of buttercream and impactful aromas of pineapple and toasted coconut. It’s pure decadence.

Sauvignon Blanc: Crisp, refreshing New Zealandstyle wine. Zests of grapefruit and key lime brighten the palate, with passionfruit and jalapeno on the finish.

Big Red Blend: Bold flavors of jammy dark fruit and toasted oak with raspberry and brown spice notes.

Merlot: Aromas of mocha and toasted vanilla with rich layers of dark cherry and blackberry over dashes of brown sugar and nutmeg.

Bartenders Cheat Sheet

When suggesting Dark Horse Wine, remember, it’s a portfolio of award-winning wines for every occasion, and over-delivers on quality, outperforming its price point (each varietal is approximately $8- $9 a bottle).