The First Wine Aged in Whiskey Barrels!

By Ami Nahari & Greg Aubrey

 
The First Wine Aged in Whiskey Barrels!

Did you know that wines aged in bourbon or other whiskey barrels are wildly popular in the US and sell over 20 million bottles annually? So, how has it not yet made its way into the Kosher Wine world?

To start, whiskey is not Kosher for Passover – therefore the wine aged in those barrels, although being Kosher and could be certified as such, will come with a side note of “Not Kosher for Passover.” This discouraged Kosher winemakers from producing this interesting wine… until now.

In January 2022, Ethan’s Reserve, a line of Kosher bourbons, released the first Kosher for Passover whiskey, made from Sorghum stalks. In May, Rabbi Rabinowitz of the OU went down to Tennessee with Ami Nahari, the producer, to start working on the next batch of Sorghum Whiskey. While waiting for distillation, Rabbi Rabinowitz and Ami were leaning on last year’s empty barrels in the corner of the Nashville distillery. Rabbi Rabinowitz noticed their lack of use and asked, “What are we going to do with the empty barrels?” Inspiration struck Ami who then asked the Rabbi if there was a chance to age the wine in those barrels. The next day, the barrels were on their way to California.

 
Smooth as Tennessee Whiskey

The practice of aging wine in whiskey barrels started in the 1980s in the non-Kosher world. However, this only began to gain popularity in 2015 when Bob Blue of Bonterra Winery in California, initiated a project with the 1000 Stories bourbon-barrel aged Zinfandel. Zinfandel is the most common varietal to be aged in whiskey barrels.

What should one expect from this exquisite Zinfandel aged in whiskey barrels? First, the flavor of wine is still the typical flavor of the wine. Winemakers will tell you that the roundness and fruit-forward characteristics of Zin pair wonderfully with the bourbon flavors, although we are now seeing some Cabernets from hotter climates that are being aged in whiskey barrels as well.

Like other oak barrels, used whiskey barrels (specifically Bourbon, although in this case, Sorghum) inject unique flavors into the wine, such as char, smoke, dried herbs, and vanilla.

Twin Suns Special Edition Zinfandel – aged in Sorghum Whiskey barrels – is bursting with these characteristics. Richer, although still soft on the palate, with notes of maple and caramel. This wine is worth aging, with the promise of tannins softening in years to come.

Master winemaker, Corneliu Dane, explains that “after 20 years of experience in making wine aged in bourbon barrels, I was excited to work with Ami on this project. One thing that I can say about the Twin Suns Zinfandel is that the grapes chosen for this project were of high quality. The flavor profile of this wine has high complexity alongside that of a typical bourbon-aged wine.”

 
Treat Yourself to This Unique Wine

We are so proud to share this special wine with you. Perfect for the winter months, the Twin Suns Special Edition Whiskey-Aged Zinfandel will grace your palate and will be a delight to enjoy alongside good friends by the fireplace, while enjoying the pleasure of good conversation and times well spent