Germain-Robin

Germain-Robin, based in Ukiah, California, is one of the highest rated alembic brandy makers in the world.[1]

Contents

History

The distillery was founded in 1982 by Ansley J. Coale, a local rancher, and Hubert Germain-Robin, a native of Cognac, France.[1]

Coale, a former Berkeley professor of ancient history,[2] had bought 2,000 acres (809 ha) of farmland outside of Ukiah, named Eagle Ridge Ranch, in 1973. By chance, one day in 1981 he picked up Germain-Robin, who was hitchhiking throughout California in search of a location to make brandy.[3] Germain-Robin came from a family that had been making cognac under the name Jules Robin & Company, but had recently sold the business to Martell, prompting Germain-Robin to leave.[2]

Ronald Reagan was an aficionado of Germain-Robin brandies and reserved a number of barrels for the White House, which he served as a matter of national pride to visiting dignitaries such as Mikhail Gorbachev and François Mitterrand. The brandy was also served at Bill Clinton's inaugural ball[4]

One innovation is that in Cognac, brandy is made mostly of the ugni blanc grape (known in Italy as trebbiano), which in the region makes a juice unsuitable for drinking as a wine. By contrast Germain-Robin used, and continues to use, high-quality wine grapes.[3] Initially it used locally produced Pinot Noir, and it continues to use exclusively Mendocino County grapes, generally Colombard and Semillon, as well as some Zinfandel and Viognier.[4] Another innovation is that rather than blending the wine, Germain-Robin produces single-varietal and single-vineyard brandies.[4]

Products

Germain-Robin brandy, which is called by some the best in the world, is produced in very small quantities, 3,000 cases per year as of 2005.[4] Sales are low due to poor name recognition, high price of up to $350 per bottle, and the tendency of restaurant patrons to buy well-known mass-market brands from France.[4]

Particularly in recent years, the distillery has been experimenting with grappa, eau de vie, liqueur, and other liquors.

Coale is also a participant in Hangar One, an artisan vodka made in Alameda, California.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Matt Villano (2008-11-30). "Exquisite brandy one of Ukiah area's delights". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/28/TR04144602.DTL. 
  2. ^ a b Frank J. Prial (1994-08-03). "Wine Talk". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403EFDA1231F930A3575BC0A962958260. 
  3. ^ a b Frank J. Prial (1988-09-04). "Wine: A Choice Encounter". New York Times. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f "W. Blake Gray". San Francisco Chronicle. 2005-01-27. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/01/27/WIGEOATS8N1.DTL&type=printable. 

External links