With the changing seasons and a chill in the air, I love a warming, winter drink. Some folks prefer red wine, some prefer a nip of whiskey… but I say, why not both?
If you’ve never had a whiskey barrel-aged red, you’re in for a treat. Imagine your favorite full-bodied red wine with an extra layer of spice and warmth. And this is a banner month for us, because we’re releasing not one, but TWO whiskey barrel-aged reds, one from Scott Peterson and the other from Franc Dusak.
You’ve probably seen a few whiskey barrel wines at your local grocery store. But we wanted to do it the Naked way, and I’m so proud of the result. Instead of taking cheap red and using whiskey to make up the value (like some other brands we won’t mention), we’re starting with an already great wine and upping the ante with premium whiskey barrel aging.
So how exactly do we do it?
We’ve taken Scott’s top-quality Sonoma Cabernet and Franc’s legendary Pagani Ranch Red and put a portion of each into whiskey barrels to age. These rye and bourbon whiskey barrels come from a local distillery and come to us empty (sadly!), but some of the previous alcohol is still held in the staves.
When we add the wine into the barrels, the remaining whiskey gets drawn out and imparts the wine with rich vanilla, caramel, smoke and spice flavors, along with that little extra warming alcohol. The result is an indulgent red that tastes like a seat by the fire… in fact, that’s just where I plan to enjoy a glass myself.
I know I’m really focusing on the upcoming winter months, but there’s really no time limit on enjoying these whiskey barrel reds. They’re just as delicious with your favorite barbecued meats as they are with a winter roast — I just never seem to order enough to make it through to summer.
So to solve the problem, I’ve stocked some special whiskey barrel packs on our site. And as a special treat, we have two-packs from both Franc and Scott featuring their whiskey barrel red and an original red without any whiskey aging, just so you can taste the difference. I think these would be fun to share over the holidays and test your friends and family’s palates.
Cheers to a glass of the good stuff,
Lucy
VP of Wine, Naked Wines USA
PS. Let us know your favorite winter wine… maybe a rich Cabernet or a bold Shiraz — we love to know what you’re enjoying during the chillier months.
