Short and sweet: brandies distilled from premium varietal wine grapes make better brandy than those made from anything else. The brandies themselves have superb flavor and complexity; they also display marked varietal characteristics. There has never been a cellar of any size that held such a wide range of flavors and aromas. These brandies aged exceptionally well, preserving lovely deep fruit, maintained by aging in old cognac barrels.
Old & Rare
ANSLEY’S Alambic Brandy – Release No. 1:
A 2013 blend of three brandies distilled by Germain-Robin from Roederer Estate pinot noir in 2002, 2003, and 2004, then aged an additional 10 years. 311 bottles straight from the cask, unfiltered. Rich, subtle, wonderful fruit, great length. Truly fabulous: a cognac of this quality would sell for at least $1500. Limit of 1 bottle per customer. A bargain.
GERMAIN-ROBIN Small Blend no. 2:
1984 Gamay, rich 1989 old-vine Colombard, and an elegant 1994 Pinot Noir from Napa’s Clos du Val. Truly great brandy: buy this.
GERMAIN-ROBIN Small Blend no. 3:
1996 Roederer Pinot Noir, 1985 Gamay, two 1997 Colombards, and a 1996 blend of aromatics: Muscat, Riesling, & Viognier. Extraordinary richness, balance, and complexity.
GERMAIN-ROBIN GR/30:
Pinot Noir and Colombard from 1983 and 1984. Pinot elegance, Colombard breadth and depth. We have fewer than 30 bottles. Limit 1 bottle per customer.
GERMAIN-ROBIN Barrel V154 Chenin Blanc:
Single barrel of 1985 old-vine Chenin Blanc from the Wegner vineyard. It has aged absolutely perfectly: deep Chenin fruit, huge concentration of flavor. The aromatics are wonderfully intense. We have 12 bottles. Limit 1 bottle per customer.
GERMAIN-ROBIN Barrel 351:
Single barrel of 1987 Pinot Noir from the Welch vineyards in Potter Valley. Great concentration of flavor, the angel’s share over 27 years leaving 44.9% from the original 71%. Our most noble brandy. 30 bottles remain. Limit 1 bottle per customer.
GERMAIN-ROBIN Augustín’s Blend:
Pinot Noirs from 1988 and 1989, with a touch of Colombard, aged for 22 years in a 50-liter cask. Colombard fruit, way deeper now, and beautifully long Pinot refinement. Limit 1 bottle per customer.
GERMAIN-ROBIN Cask 17.2:
Our best stuff, 25-30 years old, married another year in a tiny cask that holds only 15 bottles worth. A customer after tasting it bought 6 bottles: “I don’t want to drink anything else.” This is the second batch, of which we still have 8 bottles. Rich rich rich/deep deep deep. It takes some 35 minutes to fully open in the glass. Limit 1 bottle per customer.