TOM ARAYA Talks About SLAYER's Wine In Video Interview

Kriss Panic of Dogday Production spoke to SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya about the band's Sweden-exclusive red wine before SLAYER's August 2013 concert at the Gröna Lund amusement park in Stockholm, Sweden. You can now watch the chat below.

The "Reign In Blood" wine was released by the start-up Swedish company Brands For Fans.

Asked why he thinks musicians are embracing and have discovered wines and drinks, Araya said in a recent interview: "I think musicians have always been drinking and sharing a good wine. It is, I hate to say this, another form of vice.

"A good wine has many qualities, I think. If drunk moderately, it is healthy, and good for your heart.

"Musicians have always had wine around them, but no one has really got into the tastes of wine.

"Growing up, my dad drank a lot of wine, so I got a taste for, and learned how to enjoy it. He spoke a lot about flavors and differences in tastes of wine. Also, our manager, Rick Sales, is a big wine drinker, he goes to a lot of wine-tasting classes and he's taught me about the qualities of wine.

"I don't know why musicians drink wine, though. I know Amadeus Mozart, the classical composer, drank a lot of wine, and I guess that's where the connection started. [laughs]"

Regarding what he thought of SLAYER's Cabernet Sauvignon the first time he tried it, Araya said: "When I heard the idea of a SLAYER wine, I tasted the wines they suggested for us. To be honest, I was a bit sceptical at first before I tasted it, but once I tried it, I thought, 'You know what?! This is actually really good. A really fruity and round type of flavor for a red wine.' It's very flavorful and tasted awesome!"

He continued: "I think it's a good wine. I got a bottle for my brother who's a big wine taster and he loved it. He gave it thumbs up, and he tastes a lot of wines.

"When they asked if I'd like to try it, I was skeptical at first, but it smelled good and when I drank it, there was none of the bitter, strong taste and dry mouth feel you can get from bad wines. I'm glad it's got a favorable response, as it's a good wine."

Asked if "Reign In Blood" will be available in the U.S. and other countries, Araya said: "Yeah, I can definitely see that happen. I wouldn't know about the logistics of how to get something like that to work, but there's been a great response as it's such a good wine. The key is making sure that it's a good wine, and I think it would do great in the States. I think there are serious wine drinkers who would be surprised about the quality of the wine. Maybe they'll discover the band after tasting the wine. [laughs]

"Having met the folks behind Brands For Fans, we saw that they are proper wine people and know what they're talking about. It's a good product and it feels good to have a bottle of wine that isn't just a label on some bland bottle, but a well-produced Cabernet Sauvignon."