Korbel can only ship BRANDY within the state of California.
Brandymaster's Notes
Korbel has been crafting fine California brandies since 1889 when Francis Korbel had our first still installed in the newly built brandy tower at the Korbel Winery. Today Korbel is a leader in the American premium brandy market and the only major distiller that makes exclusively California brandies.
Korbel's Alambic Brandy is an extremely limited production, handmade brandy. This brandy is sold exclusively in our wine shop and to our Wine Club members.
In particularly good harvests, we select a small lot of Russian River Pinot Noir cuvee base wine for distillation. This wine receives special handling and is distilled immediately, while the harvest is still underway. The goal is to capture the delicate essence of Pinot Noir in this luxury brandy.
The brandy is distilled in a traditional French Alambic still, just as those used in Cognac. The Alambic distillation method is slow and requires constant attention, resulting in the greatest depth and purity of flavor possible. The distillation is done in two stages: the first stage distills the wine from approximately 11% alcohol to about 30% (60 Proof), the second distillation stage lifts the proof from 60 to about 140. After distillation, the brandy is aged in a mix of American and French oak barrels for a minimum of 10 years. This allows the brandy to soften and reach its full flavor potential.
When it is time to bottle Korbel Alambic Brandy, we simply add pure water to cut it to 80 Proof (40% by volume). Nothing else is added.
| Appellation: |
Russian River Valley |
| Variety: |
Pinot Noir |
| Distillation: |
Copper Alambic Pot Still |
| Distillation Proof: |
140 Proof |
| Barrel Aging: |
Over 10 years in French & American Oak |
| Barrel Aging Proof: |
120 Proof |
| Bottling Proof: |
80 Proof (40% by volume) |
| Cases Produced: |
30 Cases |
* Unfortunately there is no discounting allowed on this new product.
