Single Varietal Grape Brandies
All great winemaking regions of the world also have great brandy producers. In France, they are known as cognac or armanac. Like our other products, our brandies are single varietal using Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris grapes. All of our grapes were harvested in the fall from our vineyard in Zillah, WA, the Roza Hills Vineyards, and processed into wine at our sister facility, Silver Lake Winery. The grapes were crushed, and pressed to stainless steel tank where the juice was innoculated with a selected yeast strain. The wine was fermented cool (~58 degrees F) for 35 days to help preserve fresh fruit flavors. Following fermentation, the wine was racked off its lees, and then chilled to preserve freshness. The distillation was completed in a single step process using our Still using one rectification column with 3 plates and a dephlegmator engaged. The run resulted on a distillate that was 120-130 proof with characteristic flavors of the fruit and subsequently stored in used oak wine barrels for 2-5 years. Once aged, the brandy is diluted to 80 proof with filtered deionized water and bottled.
Pinot Gris
Chenin Blanc
Pinot Gris is a white wine grape variety thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot Noir variety. Though this grape normally has a grayish-blue color, the fruit can range in color from a dusty pink, to white, to black. Pinot Gris is grown around the globe, with the “spicy” full-body Alsatian and the lighter-bodied more acidic Italian styles being the most widely recognized. The flavors can range from ripe tropical fruit noted of melon and mango to some botrytis influenced flavors
Chenin Blanc is a white wine grape variety from the Loire Valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wine to well balanced dessert wines. Chenin Blanc grapes tend to provide a fairly natural palate for the expression of terrior, vintage, and the winemaker’s treatment. In cool areas, the juice is sweet but high in acid with a full-bodied fruity palate, musky melon aroma and the potential to age quite well.
Gewurztraminer
Distillers Blend
Gewurztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety used in the white wines that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes colloquially referred to as “Gewurtz”. The variety has a high natural sugar content and the wines are white and usually off-dry with a flamboyant bouquet of lychee fruit, as Gewurztraminer and lychees share the same aroma compounds. Dry Gewurztraminer may also have aromas of roses, passion fruit and other bright, floral notes.
Our Acholado Mixto is made in the same fashion as a blend of fine wines. Each of the single varietal piscos are evaluated and tasted by our master distiller to determine the ultimate blend. Like some of the fine wine blends from the Bordeaux area of France, we think that our Acholado Mixto might actually be our best. If you taste very carefully, you can identify each of the flavors of our single varietal piscos plus more. Acholado Mixto is a wonderful choice for those who want to experience the flavors of each grape varietal in a single tasting.