Does Zac Brown Have a Winery?

Grammy-winning country singer Zac Brown of the Zac Brown Band is also a passionate wine and food lover. But Does Zac Brown have a winery?

Zac Brown does own a winery in California’s Napa Valley. The label’s name is Z. Alexander Brown. It was launched in 2016 in collaboration with Delicato Family Vineyards and Californian winemaker John Killebrew.

The label entered the market with the 2013 Uncaged Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2013 Uncaged Proprietary Red Blend.

Zac Brown said:

“Wine has always fascinated him because of its inherent connection to the land and the artistry necessary to craft a distinct and memorable experience.”

Having a business to run alongside traveling for concerts takes a lot of dedication. But how hands-on is Zac, and does he actually help make the wine or just throw his name on the label?

Let’s find out!

Where is Zac Brown wine made?

Zac Brown’s wine, sold under the name Z. Alexander Brown, is made in Napa Valley, California. Its ingredients are sourced from regions including North Coast, Sonoma County, Santa Lucia Highlands, and Monterey. 

The label aims at highlighting the quality of California’s best growing regions.

The flavors unveil a robust style reflective of the land, and its unlimited potential, which is a result of the passion of its artists.

Winemaker and Zac’s partner John Killebrew mentions that:

“He knew that the group was meant to be together because Zac’s creative responsibility and “homegrown” perspective resonated with his approach to make wine.” 

In addition, The North Coast is known for its diverse array of premium vineyards and their ability to develop rich, flavorful fruits, which provide the perfect canvas for crafting high-powered and palate-provoking wines.

The label’s website talks about their connection with the Californian lands in detail. It mentions:

The berries are harvested at the right time using the best practices and stored in cellars with little intervention and a careful touch. This technique helps develop the full potential of the wine.

The website also mentions that:

“Z. Alexander Brown wines ignite a natural gateway to wine – and freedom to create. “…Both wine and music are intangible – you can’t stop either one in time and examine it carefully as they both change over time.”

How much is Zac Brown wine?

Zac Brown wines are typically sold at a retail price of $15.99 to $17.99. But his limited release Cabernet Sauvignon retails at $120. 

The price details are available on their website.

The Z. Alexander Brown Wine’s Sauvignon Blanc launched with a suggested retail price of $19.99 reported growth at +5.6%, becoming the second-fastest growing varietal behind Rosé.

And the $15-20 price segment is the fastest-growing among Sauvignon Blanc, growing +16.2%- PRNewswire. 

Here is a catalog of Z. Alexander Brown’s wine retail listing as available on their website. 

Vintage Appellation Price
SAUVIGNON BLANC NORTH COAST $15.99
CHARDONNAY MONTEREY $15.99
PINOT NOIR MONTEREY, NAPA, SONOMA $17.99
CABERNET SAUVIGNON CALIFORNIA $17.99
PROPRIETARY RED BLEND CALIFORNIA $17.99
LIMITED RELEASE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY $120.00

Wine buyers worldwide describe Z. Alexander Brown’s wine price listing to be affordable and enjoyable.

Is Z. Alexander Brown wine vegan?

Z. Alexander Brown Wine is not vegan. Many winemakers use casein (milk protein), albumin (egg whites), gelatin (animal protein), or isinglass (fish bladder protein) to help clear hazy wines. So Z. Alexander Wine does not guarantee that their wines are gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian. 

This is pretty common, which is why most wines, at least from large producers, are not vegan or vegetarian.

Ultimately, most wines do clear up and become less hazy over time. So technically, the process of fining (removing the haze) isn’t necessary. But the reason so many winemakers use one of those things is to speed up the process.

So while it’s a great-tasting wine, don’t drink it if you’re a hardcore vegan.

The label’s flavor profile is intense and full-bodied. According to the label’s website, this is what the winemaker’s say:

“All of the Uncaged wines are complex, juicy, and dynamic. We wanted to craft a brilliant and flavorful, versatile blend—in a bold style with excellent acidity and balance. These wines are accurate to the variety, with a bright acidity attributed to the cool climate of our North Coast vineyards.”

Zac Brown added to the statement:

“I wanted to create a wine that people from all walks of life could enjoy. Uncaged needed to be accessible to people who may not normally drink big wines, but also something that a real connoisseur could drink, enjoy and understand the complexity within it.”

Who makes Z. Alexander Brown wine?

Z. Alexander Brown wines are a creative collaboration between Zac Brown, Delicato Family Vineyards, and winemaker John Killebrew. 

Zac Brown talked to Wine Enthusiast about his wine journey:

“I found characteristics that I liked in a glass of wine. So once I explain something I like to the winemaking team, they bring me six samples of all the mixing elements based on what I described. I’m hands-on with all of it.”

Zac is involved in all aspects of winemaking, just like his music.

From writing his songs to designing the labels himself and the shipping boxes and everything. A part of his job also involves wine tasting and blending wine to develop a unique presentation and marketing for them.

Curious about Zac’s songwriting process?

After all, most successful country stars use Nashville songwriters and players and rarely write their own songs and have their band play on the records.

Check out my recent article to know what makes Zac’s songwriting process unique and see how much Nashville gets put into this Georgian. Is it pure and simple, or over-produced and autotune-corrected?

Just click that link to read it on my site.

For now, Zac has no plans of backing away from this dream project. His team is also working on introducing another white wine in their portfolio in the coming years.

How many types of wine do Zac Brown have?

Z. Alexander Brown Wines currently have Cabernet Sauvignon, a Proprietary Red Blend, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Here is a catalog of Z. Alexander Brown’s wine retail listing as available on their website.

Vintage Appellation Price
SAUVIGNON BLANC NORTH COAST $15.99
CHARDONNAY MONTEREY $15.99
PINOT NOIR MONTEREY, NAPA, SONOMA $17.99
CABERNET SAUVIGNON CALIFORNIA $17.99
PROPRIETARY RED BLEND CALIFORNIA $17.99
LIMITED RELEASE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY $120.00

According to Taste of Country, the Musician Zac Brown and Napa Valley wine lover John Killebrew stepped into winemaking businesses with their Santa Lucia Highlands Uncaged Chardonnay and a Proprietary Red Blend in 2016.

In 2017, Z. Alexander Brown announced the national launch of their first white wine. It was inspired by Zac and John’s approach to crafting homegrown ingredients.

In 2018, the Grammy award-winning musician added a new varietal of his second white wine to the Santa Lucia Highlands Uncaged Chardonnay.

According to Zac, each wine serves a purpose when paired with varieties of food. The wines are made, starting with a strengthening root system to support a lush canopy of leaves.

Z. Alexander Brown - Zac Brown Interview with John Killebrew and Patrick Maulfair

Conclusion

Food has always been a way of connecting people. Zac Brown opened his first restaurant decades ago.

He met a friend, Kevin Vogt, and Zac started going to meals with him. Here he was introduced to pairing wine with every course. And it became a long-term interest.

For Zac, falling in love with wine was a rabbit hole. He took meetings with several companies, and this was when he met the Delicato family.

He saw the excellence and their expertise in winemaking and immediately paired up with them. It was during one of the dinners at the Delicato family; Zac met winemaker John Killebrew.

It was here Zac had the idea of collaborating with them to create his brand.

In 2016, Zac launched his wine company, Z. Alexander Brown wines, shortly before splitting up with his wife Shelly. Over the past 6 years, the winery has launched five wines and one limited edition.


Photos that require attribution:

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay and 161020-D-SW162-0191 by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are licensed under CC2.0 and were cropped, edited, merged, and had a text overlay added.