Chef Sean Brock
We collaborated with the James Beard Award-Winning chef to create a blend inspired by his biggest culinary inspiration — his grandmother Audrey.
A Note From Sean Brock
When I discovered Proxies, I was immediately intrigued by the use of unexpected ingredients, paired in unexpected ways. I just had to reach out and ask about a possible collaboration. Getting to be involved in the Proxies process was so inspiring. I truly feel like we are at the very beginning of a beverage revolution—making zero-proof beverages forces you to think like a chef and opens up a whole new world of undiscovered pairings.
My first thought for this collaboration was to recreate the wine that my grandmother Audrey used to make from the wild elderberries picked on her property. To complement the elderberries, we chose some of my favorite Appalachian ingredients like pawpaws, pine, and an old-fashioned bean preservation technique called leather britches. The result instantly transports me back to my grandmother’s home. I hope you enjoy this piece of living history.
About Audrey
This richly layered red draws inspiration from the elderberry wine Brock’s grandmother—the restaurant’s namesake and the chef’s biggest culinary inspiration—made every year in her home kitchen.
Dried elderberries mesh with plums, blueberries, cherries, and syrah grapes for a complex and rounded base complemented by bright and tropical pawpaw vinegar and a host of roots and spices native to Brock’s Appalachian stomping grounds. The result is an homage to Audrey’s elderberry wine, but something entirely new—full of both fresh and dried fruit flavors, with a structured botanical backbone and a lightly perfumed, yet fresh finish courtesy of black malva flowers and pine.
The Inspiration
"My first thought for this collaboration was to recreate the wine that my grandmother used to make from the wild elderberries picked on her property. To complement the elderberries, we chose some of my favorite Appalachian ingredients like pawpaws, pine, and an old-fashioned bean preservation technique called leather britches. The result instantly transports me back to my grandmother’s home. I hope you enjoy this piece of living history."
Club Release 2022.1
