OLE SMOKY COLLABORATES WITH ZAC BROWN, Z. ALEXANDER BROWN WINE
Ole Smoky Distillery And Z. Alexander Brown Wines, From Grammy-Award Winning Musician Zac Brown, Collaborate On The Launch Of A Whiskey-Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon
With shared southern roots and values of Craftmanship, Hospitality, Connection to the Land comes the launch of Z. Alexander Brown, whiskey aged Cabernet Sauvignon in partnership with Ole Smoky Distillery.
WINE UNCAGED
When fires broke out in the Ole Smoky mountains, Zac Brown rushed to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, home of Ole Smoky Distillery, to play a benefit concert. The result was a relationship forged in fire and an enduring friendship between like-minded people with a deep respect for the importance of great friends and community.
Inspired by homegrown values and a lifelong connection to the land, Zac’s passion for bringing music, food and people together ignited a natural gateway to wine – and a freedom to create. Bold and uncaged, Z. Alexander Brown Whiskey Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon is masterfully aged in premium Ole Smoky Whiskey Barrels, creating the ultimate stage for a new palate-provoking wine rooted in the heart of California wine country.
TASTING NOTES
Z. Alexander Brown Whiskey Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon opens with lush aromas of dark ripe fruit and sweet toasted oak notes. Bold tannins frame a powerful mid-palate layered with generous flavors of notes suggestive of Whiskey: caramel, brown sugar and toasted oak. Balanced and smooth, a decadent full body defines the long and lingering finish with a hint of spice.
VINTAGE
A cool start to the season brought on slow even ripening with enough rain to generate reservoirs establishing a strong root system. A warm summer followed with few heat spikes promoting even canopy growth and fruit development that maintained bright fruit flavors. After a successful harvest along with lots of hard work, we are left with a Cabernet Sauvignon we are proud of – layered, balanced, and delicious.
WINEMAKING
Picking decisions are based on winemaker evaluation, vineyard condition, and proper flavor ripeness. The grapes are picked in the cool of the morning and slowly warmed to fermentation temperatures. Early extraction with multiple pump-overs promotes great color and deep, smooth tannins. The wine then completes malolactic fermentation before blending. After the wine is made, a portion of the blend was aged for a minimum of 3 months in premium Ole Smoky Whiskey barrels.
We're so excited to share the fruits of this collaborations with you. The new Whiskey Barrel Aged Cab is available now at zalexanderbrown.com, and coming soon to a retailer near you!
