The state’s warm climate produces fruity, bright versions of the wine distillate.
When most people think of brandy , one of two double tends to come to mind : lush , eminent - close iterations produced in southwestern France , or bottom - ledge offerings that often service as the pilfered introduction to the wine distillate . It ’s a feeling that ’s thought to be either too expensive or too cheap , reserved for slowly - sipping gentlemen alongside cigars or college Kyd who do n’t mind hard drink that burn on the way down .
But outside of those narrow-minded definitions exists a worthwhile third alternative . dwelling house to laurels - win wine regions like Napa and Sonoma Valley , California has a farseeing history of brandy production date back to before it take in its statehood .
“ If California had an official spirit , it would be brandy , ” declare Ryan Herzog , Tasting Room Lead atCalifornia Brandy House , the first resist - alone taste room dedicate to California brandy , located in Downtown Napa . “ It ’s been produced here for over 300 geezerhood and almost every mission in California grew grape to make wine and brandy . We have some of the good soil and best agriculture in the world , which translate to some of the best grapes . ”
Photo courtesy of California Brandy House
Brandy even had a role in founding one of California ’s most prize universities — in the late nineteenth century , industrialist Leland Stanford rose to become the world ’s big brandy manufacturer , with a 55,000 - Accho vinery in Tehama County . He used that money to fund Stanford University , which continued after his death until Prohibition wedge the sales event of his estate .
“ After Prohibition , people had a lot to celebrate and would often give a toast of their fine spirit at the end of a meal , ” Herzog says . “ normally , the finest intent that they had on script was brandy . That ’s actually how brandy win the connotation of being an after - dinner drink . ”
Although principally associate with wine , brands likeKorbelandE&J Gallobecame some of the first forward-looking craft distilleries when they launched brandy operations — in 1889 and 1975 , respectively . lack the strict administration and regulating that palisade Cognac product in France , California brandy makers had carte blanche to reinvent the spirit with non - traditional varietals like pinot noir , riesling , viognier , and semillon .
Despite this legacy and conception , the California brandy industry is only beginning to evolve to meet the needs of the modern consumer . That geological fault is in part due to places like California Brandy House , which open up in recent 2020 and offers education alongside savoring with California - basedGermain - RobinandArgonautbrandy .
launch in 2021 just outdoors of Fresno , Omage Brandyis another label that ’s approaching the life from a fresh perspective . The brand is helmed by Julious Grant , who brings over 30 years of emotional state industry experience , include serving as senior frailty president of gross sales for Moet Hennessy .
“ I drop a lot of meter in Cognac and throughout France inflict all of these distilleries , looking at the tradition of craftsmanship , how they were construct it , and what made it unique , ” Grant say . “ There ’s a luck there , but what I felt and what I still palpate is that cognac does n’t fit the consumer taste profile in a way that allows them to truly enjoy it — after all , most cognac is still deplete with coke . ”
Photo courtesy of California Brandy House
For Grant , it ’s the differences in terroir and the freedom in output methods that put California brandy into a class of its own . “ The lovesome clime in California is perfect for pee a quality product , ” he says . “ Cognac , on the other hand , is a cold grape - growing region , so their grapes are high in acidity . I did n’t require to lose the sourness , but I also wanted to make something that was yield forward . ”
Another contrast is in the type of barrel used for age brandy . Omage is aged in charred and toast American bourbon barrels as well as French barrels , while traditional cognacs only use Gallic barrels . In Cognac , they only distill with grass still , but both Omage and Argonaut use column in addition to pot stills , which Herzog says bestow the brandy a bright flavor , allowing it to retain the natural fruitiness from the wine .
Like most brandy labels , Omage is offered in three expressions in the traditional eld order system of VS ( very special ) , VSOP ( very superior previous picket ) , and XO ( extra erstwhile ) . Argonaut eschews custom altogether with its own naming arrangement , provide a 91 - proof “ Saloon Strength ” brandy ; “ Speculator , ” a blending of brandy pedigree aged 4 and 19 years ; “ Fat Thumb , ” brandy stocks aged 2 to 16 year ; and a one - off release called “ The Claim ” with rare brandy ancestry that are aged 14 to 25 class .
Julious Grant, creator of Omage Brandy|Photo courtesy of Omage
Just like wine , there ’s a lot of nuance between brandy categories . broadly speaking with California brandy , VS and younger variation are sluttish and yield - forward , with intimation of nuttiness and vanilla extract . VSOP offers a more rich flavor visibility with stronger promissory note of oak and citrous fruit , and XO options are distinct , with notes of dry out fruit , spices , oak , and a sweet yellowish brown finish .
While hand - crafted brands make it comfortable to sip brandy straight , there ’s no cause to be shy about mixing the spirit into cocktail . Part of the history overlay at California Brandy House includes the pot liquor ’s role in Prohibition and the early cocktail movement .
“ Almost all classic cocktail are rooted in brandy , ” Herzog allege . “ For example , brandy would have been the distinctive spirit of pick for an Old Fashioned when it was first created in the 1800s . The Mint Julep is another cocktail that was originally made with brandy , which is really fun and interesting . The Sidecar is another great selection . ”
Photo courtesy of California Brandy House
Grant like to mix Omage VSOP with orange juice or as a Manhattan , but also offers a twist on the classical French 75 that he ’s nickname an American 75 . “ A French 75 is champagne and cognac , but you could make an American 75 with California brandy and California sparkle vino , ” he recommends .
cite the current cocktail movement , Herzog is optimistic that California brandy will presently get the global attention it deserves . “ Everyone is blend back and trying to ascertain the original formula for classic cocktail , ” he enunciate . “ Rye whiskey really had a revival because of that , and likewise with snare . As people continue to dig and search more with craft Greco-Roman cocktail , California brandy is emphatically poise to make a magnanimous comeback . ”
