While imagination lent to the introduction of Barrel Eight-One-Five in A Winery Christmas Story, it is, indeed, based in fact.

While moving casks from the old Winery building into the newly completed barrel cave, a wine stained cask, identified only with the stenciled number "815" was discovered...and no one knew the contents.

Suspecting a port, Norm and director of cellar operations, Brett Sula, tapped open the cask for a taste. 

The contents of the barrel was like nothing either man had ever tasted.  Definitely  a port, but with a heavy body, done in the classical tawny style. It possesses a gentle but full mouthfeel, a little on the sweet side, which brings forward the wonderful toasted, nutty flavor rich with currant and caramel. Having aged for over nine years, this port is richly thick, possessing a complex alcohol structure, the result of fortification from a high quality brandy.

To protect the contents during the move, six men hoisted the barrel and hand-carried it to it's current resting place...where it will remain until the processes to bring it to the shelf are complete.  These processes will include bottle selection and design, as well as name and label approval. 

Guests at the 2006 December Winemaker's Dinner were the first to sample, direct from the barrel.  So well received was this spontaneous sampling, that nearly twenty bottles were reserved that night.  It is estimated that fewer than 40 cases will be bottled of Barrel Eight-One-Five, Founder's Legacy Port.

Barrel Eight-One-Five, Legacy Port, at this point, will  be bottled unfiltered, in order to maintain the characteristics and structure of the wine. It will be hand bottled.

It is obvious why we are calling it Barrel Eight-One-Five...that is the number stenciled on the cask.  Characterized as "Founder's Legacy", family, staff, friends and loyal Smoky Hill customers know this was founder and winemaker Steve Jennings final wine gift.  And what an amazing gift it is.  see bottle selection and production information here.  Archived "sneak peak" page here.